Ecological effects of soil antimony on the crop plant growth and earthworm activity

High levels of antimony have been frequently detected in some industrial sites. This study evaluated the adverse effects of antimony (Sb) on the surface-casting activity of earthworm and the early growths of some important crop plants. Asian earthworm (Perionyx excavates) and four crop plant species (Chinese cabbage, Brassica campestris; wheat, Triticum aestivum; cucumber, Cucumis sativus; and mung bean, Phaseolus radiatus) were exposed to soil antimony in laboratory. Survival, abnormality and the surface-casting activity of earthworm were monitored. Negative effects of the survival and the morphological abnormalities were observed in the P. excavates exposed to Sb. The earthworm activity, expressed as surface cast production, was significantly inhibited with elevated Sb levels. In terms of plant assay, the growth of all test plants was adversely affected in Sb-contaminated soils, and the content of Sb in plant tissues increased with increasing Sb concentration in soil. The results demonstrate that elevated Sb concentrations in soil would inhibit the early growth of crop plants, and the earthworm casting activity that is a key function of earthworm to increase soil fertility. This is the first report on the negative effect of Sb on the casting activity of earthworm as well as the growth of test plant species selected.