Shweta Sharma*, Mahima, Anshu, RK Gupta and Dharambir Singh

Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India

*Corresponding Author: Shweta Sharma, Department of Zoology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India.

Received: July 27, 2021; Published: August 18, 2021

Abstract

Earthworms are very sensitive bio-indicators of soil pollution. The aim of present investigation was to study the effects of heavy metals toxicity on various growth parameters of earthworms and also on their bio-molecules (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids) which are involved in several processes such as energy storage (carbohydrates), catalyzing biochemical reactions etc. Adult individuals of Eisenia fetida were collected and kept in the green house. After acclimatization they were transferred either to unpolluted slurry (treated as control) or to the heavy metals’ polluted (Cu, Sn, Cu+Sn) slurry. They were kept in these treatments at 22±2°C, RH 35% for 90 days. More cocoons and juveniles appeared in unpolluted slurry as compared to polluted one. The bio-molecules of worms maintained in unpolluted slurry were unaffected whereas heavy metals’ polluted worms showed reduction in bio-molecules (%). In contrast, in the Cu polluted slurry samples, high mortality of adults was recorded, body weight and length was reduced, reproduction completely inhibited and bio-molecules also reduced (%).

Keywords: Acclimatization; Carbohydrates; Cocoons; Eisenia fetida; Lipids; Proteins

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Citation

Citation: Shweta Sharma., et al. “Heavy Metals Toxicity on Various Growth Parameters and Biomolecules of Earthworm, Eisenia fetida". Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 3.9 (2021): 18-26.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Shweta Sharma., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.