Assessment of heavy metals concentrations in soil samples from the vicinity of busy roads:: Influence on Drosophila melanogaster life cycle

An assessment of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in 25 soil samples collected near busy roads in Irbid city, Jordan indicated contamination of these soil samples with different concentrations of 624, 1.243, 242, and 847 mu g/g for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn, respectively. The survival percentage of Drosophila melanogaster third-instar larvae on synthetic medium containing these concentrations for the first generation shows a significant reduction in their growth and development or metamorphosis for most soil extracts. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in survival growth and development in the second generation. The survival percentages of the second generation at pupa stage was higher than the first generation, whereas at the adult stage, there was a lower survival percentage indicating some effects on metamorphosis caused by concentration of heavy metals on Drosophila melanogaster.