Confirmation of combinational effects of calcium with other metals in a paper recycling mill effluent on nematode lifespan with toxicity identification evaluation method

We used toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) method to confirm the combinational e ects of identified toxic metals in a paper recycling mill e uent in inducing the decreased lifespan in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Exposure to Ca + Al caused more severely decreased lifespan than that exposed to Ca, or Al; and exposure to Ca + Fe induced more severely decreased lifespan than that exposed to Ca, or Fe. Exposure to Ca+Al+Fe caused more severely decreased lifespan than that exposed to Ca, or Ca+Fe. Moreover, the baseline toxicity on lifespan was doubled by doubling the concentration of combined metals (Ca+Al+Fe) in spiking test in original e uent (oe), and lifespan defects in oe+Ca+Al+Fe exposed nematodes were more severe than that in Ca+Al+Fe exposed nematode. Therefore, Ca+Al+Fe exposure may largely explain the formation of decreased lifespan induced by the examined industrial e uent. Furthermore, the observed reduction of lifespan induced by the combination of high level of Ca with other metals may be at least partially independent of the insulin-like pathway.