Agar as a medium for removing soil from earthworm guts

Earthworms were kept on a water-agar gel for 96 h at 20 degrees C, after that time all soil had been voided from their guts. Earthworms treated in this way may be used for soil-free chemical analysis, as required in biomonitoring programmes for soil contamination. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.