Wood ash decreases cadmium toxicity to the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Wood ash is a beneficial fertilizer and liming agent in nutrient depleted soils, but it also contains considerable amounts of cadmium (Cd), which can be toxic to organisms in the environment. Therefore, risk assessments regarding utilization of wood ash is required. Here, we studied how wood ash (applied in doses equivalent to 0, 3 and 6 t ha) and Cd (applied in doses of 0, 10, 150, 300, 600, 1200 and 2000 mg kg) affected growth of the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.