Bioavailability and Ecotoxicity of Lead in Soil: Implications for Setting Ecological Soil Quality Standards.

ABSTRACT: Ecological soil quality standards for lead (Pb) that account for soil Pb bioavailability have not yet been derived. We derived such standards based on specific studies of the long-term bioavailability and toxicity of Pb to soil organisms and a compilation of field data on the bioaccumulation of Pb in earthworms. Toxicity thresholds of Pb to plants, invertebrates, or microorganisms vary over more than 2 orders of magnitude, and the lowest values overlap with the range in natural Pb background concentrations in soil. Soils freshly spiked with Pb²⁺ salts exhibit higher Pb bioavailability and lower toxic thresholds than long-term aged and leached equivalents. Comparative toxicity tests on leaching and aging effects suggest using a soil Pb threshold that is 4.0 higher, to correct thr

SUBMITTER: Oorts K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8361721 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature