Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm
The present study used the adult earthworm <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> as a bioindicator species to look into the possible dangers of ammonium sulfate (AS) fertilizer. Two complementary toxicity tests were conducted to determine the LC50values, growth rate inhibition, morphological a...
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MDPI AG
2024-09-01
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| author | Khaoula Aouaichia Nedjoud Grara Kamel Eddine Bazri Edison Barbieri Nedjma Mamine Hadia Hemmami Anna Capaldo Luigi Rosati Stefano Bellucci |
| author_facet | Khaoula Aouaichia Nedjoud Grara Kamel Eddine Bazri Edison Barbieri Nedjma Mamine Hadia Hemmami Anna Capaldo Luigi Rosati Stefano Bellucci |
| author_sort | Khaoula Aouaichia |
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| description | The present study used the adult earthworm <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> as a bioindicator species to look into the possible dangers of ammonium sulfate (AS) fertilizer. Two complementary toxicity tests were conducted to determine the LC50values, growth rate inhibition, morphological alterations, and histopathological texture of worms. The lethality test included four increasing concentrations of AS fertilizer (ranging from 2500 to 7500 mg/kg of dry soil weight (d.w.)), while sub-lethal concentrations were based on 10%, 30%, 40%, and 50% of the 14-day median lethal concentration (LC50), with a control group included for both tests. The LC<sub>(50)</sub> values for AS fertilizer were significantly higher at 7 days (4831.13 mg/kg d.w.) than at 14 days (2698.67 mg/kg d.w.) of exposure. Notably, earthworms exhibited significant growth rate inhibition under exposure to various concentrations and time durations (14/28 exposure days). Morphological alterations such as clitellar swelling, bloody lesions, whole body coiling and constriction, body strangulation, and fragmentation were accentuated steadily, with higher concentrations. Histopathological manifestations included severe injuries to the circular and longitudinal muscular layers, vacuolation, muscle layer atrophy, degradation of the chloragogenous tissue in the intestine, collapsed digestive epithelium of the pharynx with weak reserve inclusion, and fibrosis of blood vessels. These effects were primarily influenced by increasing concentrations of fertilizer and time exposure. The study highlights the strong relationship between concentration and exposure time responses and underscores the potential of <i>A. trapezoides</i> earthworms as valuable biological control agents against acidic ammonium sulfate fertilizer. Importantly, this research contributes to the use of such biomarkers in evaluating soil toxicity and the biological control of environmental risk assessment associated with chemical fertilizers. |
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| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d2aed6553b2b4607b6bd782b8e487b772025-08-20T01:55:38ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292024-09-01149120910.3390/life14091209Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) EarthwormKhaoula Aouaichia0Nedjoud Grara1Kamel Eddine Bazri2Edison Barbieri3Nedjma Mamine4Hadia Hemmami5Anna Capaldo6Luigi Rosati7Stefano Bellucci8Laboratory Sciences and Technical Water and Environment, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Life, Mohamed Cherif Messaadia University, P.O. Box 1553, Souk Ahras 41000, AlgeriaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences and Earth and Universe Sciences, University of 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, P.O. Box 401, Guelma 24000, AlgeriaLaboratory of Ecology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University Constantine 1, Constantine 25017, AlgeriaInstituto de Pesca, Governo do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo 01027-000, BrazilLaboratory of Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Life, Mohamed Cherif Messaadia University, P.O. Box 1553, Souk Ahras 41000, AlgeriaDepartment of Process Engineering and Petrochemical, Faculty of Technology, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, AlgeriaDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, ItalyINFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 54, 00044 Frascati, ItalyThe present study used the adult earthworm <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> as a bioindicator species to look into the possible dangers of ammonium sulfate (AS) fertilizer. Two complementary toxicity tests were conducted to determine the LC50values, growth rate inhibition, morphological alterations, and histopathological texture of worms. The lethality test included four increasing concentrations of AS fertilizer (ranging from 2500 to 7500 mg/kg of dry soil weight (d.w.)), while sub-lethal concentrations were based on 10%, 30%, 40%, and 50% of the 14-day median lethal concentration (LC50), with a control group included for both tests. The LC<sub>(50)</sub> values for AS fertilizer were significantly higher at 7 days (4831.13 mg/kg d.w.) than at 14 days (2698.67 mg/kg d.w.) of exposure. Notably, earthworms exhibited significant growth rate inhibition under exposure to various concentrations and time durations (14/28 exposure days). Morphological alterations such as clitellar swelling, bloody lesions, whole body coiling and constriction, body strangulation, and fragmentation were accentuated steadily, with higher concentrations. Histopathological manifestations included severe injuries to the circular and longitudinal muscular layers, vacuolation, muscle layer atrophy, degradation of the chloragogenous tissue in the intestine, collapsed digestive epithelium of the pharynx with weak reserve inclusion, and fibrosis of blood vessels. These effects were primarily influenced by increasing concentrations of fertilizer and time exposure. The study highlights the strong relationship between concentration and exposure time responses and underscores the potential of <i>A. trapezoides</i> earthworms as valuable biological control agents against acidic ammonium sulfate fertilizer. Importantly, this research contributes to the use of such biomarkers in evaluating soil toxicity and the biological control of environmental risk assessment associated with chemical fertilizers.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/9/1209ammonium sulfatebiomonitoringchemical fertilizerearthwormecotoxicologyhistology |
| spellingShingle | Khaoula Aouaichia Nedjoud Grara Kamel Eddine Bazri Edison Barbieri Nedjma Mamine Hadia Hemmami Anna Capaldo Luigi Rosati Stefano Bellucci Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm Life ammonium sulfate biomonitoring chemical fertilizer earthworm ecotoxicology histology |
| title | Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm |
| title_full | Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm |
| title_fullStr | Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm |
| title_short | Morphophysiological and Histopathological Effects of Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer on <i>Aporrectodea trapezoides</i> (Dugès, 1828) Earthworm |
| title_sort | morphophysiological and histopathological effects of ammonium sulfate fertilizer on i aporrectodea trapezoides i duges 1828 earthworm |
| topic | ammonium sulfate biomonitoring chemical fertilizer earthworm ecotoxicology histology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/9/1209 |
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