Uptake and Kinetics of Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals (Lead and Cadmium) from Contaminated Soil using Eisenia foetida

Abstract The ecosystem of soil is affected by heavy metal contamination, both qualitatively and quantitatively and earthworms are efficient bioremediators. The aim of the present study was to investigate the bioaccumulation of two heavy metals (Cd and Pb) in earthworms. In the current paper, the two heavy metals considered are studied for their absorption from the soil and correlated to the amount of live earthworms required to clean up the contamination most efficiently in a particular mass of soil. The bioaccumulation of the two heavy metals was recorded at regular intervals; their Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) and Uptake Kinetics (k) calculated. Among the two heavy metals, the BAF for Cd is more than Pb by 473.97%. Also, Pb shows saturation in its Uptake Kinetics (k) after a particular period of time of exposure. Taking into account these observations, the total amount (in g) of live earthworm required to extract the heavy metals from per kilogram of soil was estimated. Keywords: environmental pollution, uptake kinetics (k), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), bioaccumulation, heavy metals