Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in soils cause threats of soil organisms, plants and terrestrial ecosystems. Bioavailability of POPs plays key role, because only bioavailable fraction of POPs can be accumulated in soil organisms, may cause toxicity or be involved in food chains. In the proposed project, processes and factors will be studied which influence the bioavailability of selected POPs (PAHs, PCBs, HCH, DDT) to earthworms
Eisenia fetida. Project aim is to investigate the effects of soil properties, POPs properties and contamination aging on bioaccumulation of POPs in earthworms. Significance of organic carbon for prediction of bioavailability will be verified on larger soil set. We will compare bioavailability from historical and fresh contamination. Not only real soils of different properties will be compared in this research, but also artificial soils. This will verify if they are appropriate standard and reference material in risk assessment of POPs in soils. It will be studied in parallel, which extraction methods can predict bioavailability of POPs to earthworms. Project results will be useful for ecological risk assessment of POPs in soils.

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