This paper illustrated the potential effect of earthworms on heavy metal stabilization after vermifiltration of liquid-state sludge. Significant enhancement of organics degradation in sludge caused an increase of heavy metal concentrations in VF effluent sludge. However, the analysis of heavy metal chemical speciation indicated earthworms made unstable fractions of heavy metals transformed into stable fractions. Further investigation using principal component analysis revealed that transformations of heavy metal fractions were mainly due to the changes in sludge physico-chemical properties of pH, soluble chemical oxygen demand and available phosphorus. The bioassay of earthworms indicated that only zinc was accumulated by earthworms because the unstable fraction was its main chemical speciation. Furthermore, risk analysis demonstrated that earthworm activities weakened heavy metal risk due to the formation of stable fractions although their total concentrations increased. These results indicated that earthworms in vermifilter had a positive role in stabilizing heavy metals in sewage sludge. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.