The role of decomposer animals in bioremediation of soils

Abstract

Soil animals are useful indicators of soil contamination, both before and after the bioremediation. Many toxicity and bioavailability assessment methods utilizing soil animals have been developed for hazard and risk-assessment procedures. Not only the survival of the animals, but also more sensitive parameters like growth, reproduction and community structure have often been taken into account in the assessment. Microorganisms are degrading the contaminants in bioremediation processes, soil animals can also have an important but usually an indirect role in these processes. Soil animals, especially the large ones, can also actively take part in the ecological recovery processes through their own activity. The potential risk of transfer of contaminants accumulated in soil animals to the above-ground food webs should be borne in mind. Earthworms are one of the most important soil animal’s which plays a role in bioremediation of soil for cleaner environment due to their biological, chemical and physical actions. Earthworms can be directly employed within bioremediation strategies to promote biodegradation of organic contaminants. Earthworms have been shown to aerate and bioturbate soils and improve their nutritional status and fertility, which are variables known to limit bioremediation. Earthworms have also been shown to retard the binding of organic contaminants in soils, release previously soil-bound contaminants for subsequent degradation, and promote and disperse organic contaminant degrading microorganisms. This review discusses the earthworm actions upon the soil environment and how they might influence the fate and behaviour of soil associated organic contaminants, subsequently improving bioremediation potential.