EFFICIENCY OF THE EARTHWORM Eisenia fetida UNDER THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC MATTER FOR BIOREMEDIATION OF SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH CADMIUM AND CHROMIUM

Abstract The use of earthworms to bioremediate soil results in decreasing the pollutant concentration through a bioaccumulation mechanism of the contaminants in the earthworm's body. The present work is an empirical study that was carried out on soils contaminated with chromium and cadmium. Organic matter in the amount of 5% and 9% of soil weight was added. Chromium and cadmium concentrations in soil and in the body of worms were measured at two time periods of 21 and 42 days. According to the results, increasing from 5% to 9% the organic material of the soil contaminated with chromium at the ...