Effect of cationic, anionic and non-ionic surfactants on soil oligochaetes Eisenia fetida andrey (Bouche, 1972)

Results of studying the main types of surfactants effect on earthworms Eisenia fetida andrey (Bouche, 1972) are presented. The worms were tested for survival and preference-avoidance behavioral reactions. Earthworms avoided sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at 0.02 g/kg and above, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide – at 0.1 g/kg and above, and polysorbate 80 – at 30 mL/kg and above. The 100% mortality of earthworms occurred at 0.001, 0.01 and 0.02 g/kg of SDS on day 30, at 1 g/kg – on day 25, and at 1 g/kg – on day 2 of the experiment. Сetyltrimethylammonium bromide at 0.001 and 0.01 g/kg caused the 100% mortality of worms on day 30; at 0.1 g/kg – on day 25; at 0.5 g/kg – on day 5; and at 1.0 g/kg already on day 2 of the experiment. The 100% mortality of worms occurred at 0.1, 1 and 10 mL/kg of polysorbate 80 on day 30 of incubation; at 20 or 30 mL/kg – on day 20; at 50 mL/kg – on day 10 of experience. The following toxicity series (both in terms of g/L and in terms of g/mol) of the tested surfactants for earthworms was constructed on the basis of the results obtained (increasing toxicity): polysorbate 80 (non-ionic surfactant) < cetrimonium bromide (cationic surfactant) < sodium dodecyl sulfate (anion-active surfactant).