Efficiency of Porcellio laevis (Isopoda: Porcellionidae) as a cadmium remover in agricultural soils, at laboratory level

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the terrestrial isopod Porcellio laevis in removing cadmium (Cd) from contaminated agricultural soils at laboratory level. The study employed an experimental design with five doses and four replications, using cadmium chloride (CdCl2) as a contaminant. 10 kg of clay loam soil were prepared and a control and four doses of Cd were established: 20 mg.Kg-1 (T1), 80 mg.Kg-1 (T2), 240 mg.Kg-1 (T3) and 400 mg.Kg-1 (T4). 40 individuals of P. laevis were introduced per dose and incubated for 60 days. The physicochemical characteristics of the soil and the doses of Cd in the soils and in the isopods at the beginning and at the end of the study were analyzed, evaluating the removal of Cd (%R) and the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). The results revealed removal rates of Cd from the soil that increased with the initial dose of Cd and the exposure time, reaching 86.9% in the treatment with 400 mg.Kg-1 Cd. However, the mortality rate increased significantly with the dose of Cd, reaching 92,5% in the treatments with 240 and 400 mg.Kg-1 Cd at the end of the study. This exposure to Cd caused significant morphological changes in the isopods, including size reduction, alterations in pigmentation and deformities in the shell. These findings suggest that P. laevis is an effective bioaccumulator for the remediation of agricultural soils contaminated with Cd.