Abstract
The endogeic earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857) was the most abundant species (75%) in soil contaminated with hydrocarbons, mostly benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), in the state of Tabasco (Mexico). The earthworm P. corethrurus was tested for its capacity to remove 100mgBaPkg−1 from an Anthrosol soil (sterilized or not) and amended with legume Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. utilis (Wall. ex Wight) Baker ex Burck (3%) or the grass Brachiaria humidicola (L.) DC (3%) (recently renamed as Urochloa humidicola (Rendle) Morrone & Zuloaga) in an aerobic incubation experiment. P. corethrurus removed 26.6mgBaPkg−1 from the sterilized soil and application of B. humidicola as feed increased this to 35.7mgBaPkg−1 and M. pruriens to 34.2mgBaPkg−1 after 112 days. The autochthonous microorganisms removed 9.1mgBaPkg−1 from the unsterilized soil and application of B. humidicola increased this to 18.0mgBaPkg−1 and M. pruriens to 11.2mgBaPkg−1. Adding P. corethrurus to the unsterilized soil accelerated the removal of BaP and 36.1mgkg−1 was dissipated from soil. It was found that the autochthonous microorganisms removed BaP from soil, but addition of P. corethrurus increased the dissipation 4-fold. The endogeic earthworm P. corethrurus can thus be used to remediate hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in tropical regions.
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