Abstract
The article deals with the effects of different Cd concentrations (5 and 50 mg kg-1) in municipal sewage sludge compost on survival, activity and adaptation of Eisenia fetida californica earthworms. Investigations were carried out under laboratory conditions. Experiments were also conducted on adaptation of second-generation juveniles to Cd-contaminated sludge substrates. Dynamics of Cd concentrations in sludge, earthworm tissues and compost-grown lettuce was constantly monitored. Cd concentrations in earthworms were found to be 4.1 (5 mg Cd kg-1 variant) and 2.8 (50 mg Cd kg-1 variant) times higher than those present in sludge compost. Cd concentrations accumulated in earthworms had no direct impact on their survival and reproduction. On average, 2.7 and 3.3 juveniles per cocoon hatched in substrates with 5 and 50 mg Cd kg-1, respectively. Second-generation juveniles hatched in Cd-contaminated substrates successfully adapted to the given Cd concentrations.
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