ABSTRACT
Earthworms, Lumbricus spp., bioaccumulate Hg under field and laboratory conditions in amounts which are dependent on sou concentration and duration of exposure. Maximum total tissue Hg concentrations in the Laboratory cultures are generally only one fifth the 10.0 to 14.8 ug Hg g-1dw observed in individuaIs collected from contaminated soils (21 jag Hg g) on the South River flood piam at Waynesboro, VA. Bioconcentration occuned under field conditions IR uncontaminated contml soiis (0.2 p.tg Hg g); however, total tissue Hg concentrations (0.4 to 0.8 JIg Hg gdw) were only 1 to 5% of those for earthworms coliected from contaminated soils. High individual variability iimited demonstration of sou pH effeets on uptake under fieid conditions; however, uptake was significantly enhanced from slightly acidic soils (pH 5.9 to 6) in laboratory culture.