Soil-dwelling Collembola are ecologically relevant species for ecotoxicological testing.
Collembolans are hexapods with a thin exoskeleton highly permeable to air and water, and represent arthropod species with a different route and a different rate of exposure compared to earthworms and enchytraeids.
Synchronized female of Folsomia candida, 9-12 days old, are exposed to the test substance incorporated into the artificial soil by an appropriate carrier or sprayed on the soil surface in order to evaluate the lethal and reproduction effects. Mortality and reproduction performance are assessed after 4 weeks of exposure.

TEST SYSTEM
Folsomia candida
A toxic reference substance is tested once a year to check the sensitivity of the organisms.

STUDY DESIGN
Range finding test lasts for 3 weeks and it includes 5 concentrations of the test substance and 1 untreated control (2 replicates/treatment or control) with 10 females/replicate
Limit test is carried out with 1 concentration of the test substance and 1 untreated control (8 replicates/treatment or control) with 10 females/replicate
Rate-response test for NOEC/LOEC evaluation includes at least 5 concentrations of the test substance and 1 untreated control (4 replicates/treatment and 8 replicates for the control) with 10 females/replicate.
Rate-response test for EC_x evaluation includes 12 concentrations of the test substance and 1 untreated control (at least 2 replicates/treatment and 6 replicates for the control) with 10 females/replicate.
Rate-response test for EC_x and NOEC/LOEC evaluation is performed with 8 concentrations of the test substance and 1 untreated control (4 replicates/treatment and 8 replicates for the control) with 10 females/replicate.

ENDPOINTS
Mortality: LC_x  or LOEC/NOEC after 4 weeks of exposure.
Reduction in reproduction: EC_x or NOEC/LOEC after 4 weeks of exposure.
Study includes GLP management and reporting.

REFERENCES AND GUIDELINES
OECD Guideline fo Testing of Chemicals, No. 232 (29^th July 2016) – Collembolan reproduction test in soil.