Aquatic Contaminant Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Unité de Biogéochimie et écotoxicologie, Ifremer, Nantes, France.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2017 Dec;24(36):27662-27669. doi: 10.1007/s11356-016-6908-6. Epub 2016 May 26.
While biomarkers are undeniably key tools in aquatic ecotoxicology to measure adverse effects linked to contamination events, their application is often inhibited by monetary constraints negating the possibility of having access to dedicated equipment, special wares, and/or expensive reagents. To offset this bottleneck, we propose three simple physiological biomarkers, quantifiable in bivalves, that are free of cost considerations and that can provide basic knowledge on animal health and water quality. Indeed, condition index (CI), growth index (GI), and SOS response (air-time survival) comprise measurements straightforward enough to perform by any laboratory or science body on the planet. Long-term monitoring or screening studies can be carried out with these biomarkers and they are able to provide robust information notably after exposure of bivalves to either singular or multiple agents of contamination. By highlighting examples of data generated in aquatic studies conducted in Eastern Canada under both laboratory and field situations with different species of marine and freshwater mollusks, we establish the suitability of these biomarkers for assessing environmental contamination. Their relationships with other biomarkers are also shown which further corroborate their value as reliable indicators of ecosystem health.
虽然生物标志物无疑是水生生态毒理学中用于测量与污染事件相关的不良影响的重要工具，但由于资金限制，它们的应用常常受到阻碍，无法获得专用设备、特殊商品和/或昂贵的试剂。为了弥补这一瓶颈，我们提出了三种简单的生理生物标志物，可在双壳类动物中定量，这些标志物不考虑成本因素，可以提供有关动物健康和水质的基本信息。实际上，条件指数（CI）、生长指数（GI）和 SOS 反应（空气存活时间）的测量非常简单，全球任何实验室或科学机构都可以进行。这些生物标志物可用于长期监测或筛选研究，并且在双壳类动物暴露于单一或多种污染物后，能够提供可靠的信息。通过强调在加拿大东部进行的水生研究中生成的数据示例，这些研究是在实验室和野外条件下使用不同种类的海洋和淡水贝类进行的，我们证明了这些生物标志物用于评估环境污染物的适用性。还展示了它们与其他生物标志物的关系，进一步证实了它们作为可靠的生态系统健康指标的价值。
