Biomonitoring, a new challenge for measuring and testing

Abstract

Biomonitoring uses biological responses to assess environmental changes, which are frequently due to anthropogenic pollution. Biomonitoring can be carried out at different levels of complexity: population, species or suborganismic responses may be used as indicators for exposure to pollutants. In the case of tests with whole organisms, their quality is often impaired by the heterogeneity of living organisms, slow responses and the fact that little information can be provided on the pollutants. Although suborganismic tests can provide more specific and fast responses, structure and concentration of pollutants are only revealed by chemical analysis. A novel approach to biomonitoring is introduced, which applies tight coupling of bioassays and chemical analysis and is defined as bioresponse‐linked instrumental analysis. It combines biomolecular recognition, initiating a biological effect and chemical analysis.

Citation

Hock, B. and Seifert, M. (2003), "Biomonitoring, a new challenge for measuring and testing", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 279-292. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777830310470468