The current study is aimed to assess the ecotoxicological effects of toxic metals and seasonal shift of the physicochemical characteristics of soil in an endogeic earthworm Metaphire posthuma of industrially contaminated soil of Calcutta leather complex. The accumulation of cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury was quantitated in whole earthworms and coelomocytes. The accumulation of metals was derived to be high in the coelomocytes than whole earthworms. Morphofunctional shift in coelomocytes indicated a high level of metal toxicity in soil inhabitants. The shift in differential coelomocyte count and cellular damage including intense cytoplasmic vacuolation and membrane blebbing of coelomocytes of M. posthuma of contaminated soil were suggestive to a state of immunocompromisation in the same species. Shift in the generation of nitric oxide and activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase indicated a possible immunosuppression in earthworm. Depletion in the acetylcholinesterase activity of coelomocytes indicated neurotoxicity of metals leached from the dumped wastes in Calcutta leather complex. Integrated biomarker response based analysis was carried out to assess the biomarker potential of experimental endpoints of M. posthuma to monitor metal toxicity in soil.
Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Bioaccumulation factor; Inducible nitric oxide synthase; Metaphire posthuma; Principal component analysis.
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