Active Biomonitoring (ABM) by Translocation of Bivalve Molluscs

Abstract

The advantages of ABM for biomonitoring purposes are: Experiments can be performed for a known exposure period . All organisms have a similar life history at the start of the exposure. It is easy to compare different sites , even if the organisms are not normally present at the exposure locations. A comparison between transplanted and indigenous organisms can indicate to what extent the indigenous organisms are adapted to the location or can give information about uptake kinetics of pollutants. Indigenous species can be “genetically protected,” and thus the use of transplanted organisms can circumvent this adaptation processes, making the comparison among different sites more precise and the use of nonadapted species more sensitive. Compared with laboratory‐bred organisms, transplanted organisms are better acclimated to changing environmental conditions, and thus the impact of field exposure through, e.g., climatological shock, will be less pronounced.

Survival, Growth and Condition of Freshwater Mussels: Effects of Municipal Wastewater Effluent

“…While most WET studies are conducted in laboratory settings, in-situ field trials often provide a more complete and relevant analysis of effluent toxicity in real-world settings [ 10 ], especially considering that the form, toxicity, and bioavailability of many toxins is dependent on water and sediment chemistry [ 11 ]. Active biomonitoring is one method of in-situ WET testing that involves collecting organisms from an unpolluted site and transplanting them to a test site to quantify their physical and biochemical responses to water quality [ 12 ]. Marine bivalves have been successfully used as active biomonitors for aquatic pollution for over 30 years [ 13 ], and more recently an increasing number of researchers have begun using freshwater mussels in biomonitoring programs [ 14 ].…”