Biotests monitoring

A clear correlation between the results of chemical analysis and biotests is lacking, which precludes the separate application of these two types of tests. Ecotoxicological tests do, however, provide additional information on the state of the environment. They indicate the need for further, more detailed analytical studies, the aim of which should be to identify in samples those compounds not yet covered by current chemical monitoring programs, and whose presence in the environment is not yet controlled by any legal regulations on environmental protection. 

Polish and EU legislations suggest in directly that toxicity could be applied to assess the quality of the environment. However, there is a lack of knowledge and motivation enabling the routine application of biotests in environmental monitoring. Further analytical studies are therefore necessary before toxicity parameters can be included in environment quality assessment systems. 

Irmer U. (Ed), 1994. Continuous biotests for water monitoring of the river Rhine. Summary, recommendations, description of test methods. Umweltbundesamt Texte 58/94, UBA, Berlin, Germany, 30 pp. 

For example, one-quarter of wastewater (volume fraction of 25%) equals a dilution level of 4 (D = 4). Dilutions are generally fixed, as shown in Table 9.7. Biotests used for the monitoring of wastewater discharges should be... 

In future, the set of biotests usable for wastewater monitoring will be amended. This can be done by a biotest using a higher water plant (Duckweed growth inhibition test, which is under development by ISO/CEN) or by the fish egg test (22, 23), which will substitute the acute fish test by taking into account the requirements of animal welfare and the Animal Protection Law, respectively. 

It has to be noted that the standard protocols for biotesting and chemical analysis originally developed for the use of wastewater and water monitoring are being proposed and used for testing elutriates of soil, waste and sediment samples. 

Summarising the experiences and the status of monitoring wastewater using biotests, it can be asserted that ... 

The SeKT Joint Research Project Evaluation of a Biotest Battery Proposed for Sediment Monitoring... 

THE SeKT JOINT RESEARCH PROJECT EVALUATION OF A BIOTEST BATTERY PROPOSED FOR SEDIMENT MONITORING AND RISK ASSESSMENT... 

Biotesting based on photosynthetic material is new and a potentially commercially viable method of pollutant detection. The photosynthetic apparatus including photosystem II (PSII) is particularly sensitive to heavy metals. In this chapter, the mechanisms of heavy metals action on photosystem II are discussed. The characteristics of different biosensors based on immobilized photosynthetic material are compared and the possibility to use immobilized photosystem II sub-membranes fractions as a tool to monitor environmental sample contained the heavy metals (sewage sludge) is demonstrated. 

For good reasons, no standards are available which define the acceptance levels for changes of soil quality or for influences on aquatic ecosystems caused by the biodegradation of polymers. The parameters of stable, balanced arid soil may differ more from those of a typical wetland than the influence of polymer degradation may ever exert. Measurement of chemical parameters may never be sufficient. The application of biotests with representative organisms will, most probably, be the most appropriate impact control. Monitoring of microbial populations using molecular... 

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