A toxicokinetics approach using Enchytraeus crypticus to evaluate the efficiency of hydroxyapatite to remediate soils contaminated with rare earth elements

Extensive rare earth element (REE) mining activities pose threats to agricultural soils surrounding the mining areas. Here, low and high REE-contaminated soils from farmlands around mine tailings were remediated with hydroxyapatite. A toxicokinetic approach was applied to assess whether the use of hydroxyapatite reduced the bioavailability of REEs and thus inhibited their accumulation in the terrestrial organism Enchytraeus crypticus. Our results showed that addition of hydroxyapatite increased soil pH, DOC and anion contents. CaCl₂-extractable REE concentrations significantly decreased, indicating the stabilization by hydroxyapatite. The influence of hydroxyapatite on the REE accumulation in enchytraeids was quantified by fitting a toxicokinetic model to dynamic REE body concentrations. The estimated uptake (K_u) and elimination rate constants (K_e), and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for REEs were in the range of 0.000821 – 0.122 kg_soil/kg_worm day⁻¹, 0.0224 – 0.136 day⁻¹, and 0.00135 – 1.96, respectively. Both K_u and BAF were significantly reduced by over 80% by hydroxyapatite addition, confirming the decreased REE bioavailability. Low atomic number REEs had higher BAFs in slightly contaminated soil, suggesting a higher bioaccumulation potential of light REEs in soil organisms. Overall, chemical stabilization with amendments can attenuate the bioavailability of REEs and reduce the potential ecological risk of contaminated agricultural soils near REE mining areas.