Contribution of Earthworm to Bioremediation as a Living Machine

Abstract

The literature regarding the benefits of earthworms is fairly ancient. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, referred to them as ‘intestines of earth' because of their habit of ingesting and ejecting the soil. In the subtropical regions of Egypt and India, the success of the ancient civilization of the Nile and the Indus Valley was partly due to the fertile soils created by the activity of the earthworms and by the continual renewal of the land by the alluvium process. During the Cleopatra era (69-30 BC), the earthworm was declared a sacred animal in the ancient Egypt. Later Darwin remarked the earthworms have played more roles throughout the history of the world than any other animal. Besides to contribute in physical structure and nutritive value of the soil by burrowing and feeding they can also be a potential pollution hazard. They are useful tool in environment monitoring and are good indicators of condition of soils. This chapter reviews soil contamination that influences earthworms and how they cope-up in contaminated environment.