Bioremediation Potential of Indigenous Earthworms in Radionuclide-Contaminated Soils of the Absheron Peninsula

The current investigation illustrates the impact of radionuclide-contaminated soils from the Surakhani oil and gas processing plant and the Ramana iodine plant territories of the Absheron peninsula on the survival, feeding, and excretion functions of earthworms, as well as the antioxidant enzyme activity of the soils. Earthworms are highly sensitive to high radioactivity and are well-suited for assessing radioactive soils as bioindicators, as evidenced by model experiments. However, at lower contamination levels, earthworms accumulated radionuclides and contributed to their immobilisation in coprolites, potentially reducing their bioavailability. Contamination resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in catalase activity, suggesting the presence of oxidative stress responses. These discoveries underscore the dual function of earthworms as highly sensitive bioindicators and prospective agents for the bioremediation of radionuclidecontaminated soils.