Kontakt 2006, 8(2):370-375 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2006.059

Living organisms as real-time detectors of toxic pollution of waterBiomedicine

Šárka Veselá

Ústřední vojenská nemocnice v Praze, odbor rozvoje, výzkumu a vývoje

For the detection of the toxic pollution over real time, so called biological early warning systems (BEWS) were developed. They are devices using living organisms as detectors of toxic pollution and comprising several parts: A water delivery system, an experimental chamber, an electronic or mechanical sensor (camera), from which the data measured are transmitted to an analyzer and alarm system, which will announce the toxicity found. The pollution monitoring is essentially continuous or it is performed repeatedly at very short intervals, time necessary for the detection is reduced to a minimum period, and the pollution detection is non-specific. For purposes of living biological detectors, fish, clams, water fleas and algae are most frequently used. The BEWS instruments were stepwise developed. Immobility or possibly death of the organism tested was first followed and latter applications were aimed at following changes in the behaviour and in physiologic parameters. BEWS are widely used for the on line monitoring of the toxic pollution. They are employed for monitoring the water quality and detection of accidents or deliberate pollution of rivers, following of water quality discharged from production enterprises, factories, waste water treatment plants and for monitoring the health non-harmfulness of water in water supply systems. The target of the work is to present basic data about problems of the BEWS and to make the reader familiar with the principle of the BEWS, with their possibilities and restrictions, with their use, principle of their function and with organisms used for their operation.

Keywords: biological early warning systems; BEWS; on-line detection; biodetector; biomonitoring

Published: December 15, 2006  Show citation