Bioindicators: Characteristics and Capabilities in Environmental Applications

• DOI: 10.61186/armaghanj.29.2.295
• Publication Date: 2024-08-26T10:40:25Z
• Authors: A Hossaini Motlagh; G Hassani
• Keywords: Medicine (General); quality index; R5-920; biomonitoring; bioindicators; environmental pollution; 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Background & aim:In recent years, the pollution of the environment with all kinds of biological, chemical, poisons, pesticides and other compounds has accelerated and are considered as one of the most important challenges of the present age. Different pollutants can be measured with the use of physical, chemical or biological methods. However, a lot of information has been provided in the field of the ability of biological indicators to detect different pollutants in recent years. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine and examine the characteristics and capabilities of biomarkers in environmental applications. Methods: In the present review study conducted in 2023, different methods of using living organisms as an indicator in determining environmental changes were investigated. Biomonitoring by searching in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Scopus databases using keywords "biological control", "bioindicator", "biomonitoring", "monitoring by microorganism", "bio detection", "biological index" and "biological indicator" in published articles until 2023. Results: : The results show that many living organisms are used as bioindicators in environments. The use of various living organisms such as macrophytes, crustaceans, phytoplankton's, protozoa and larger living organisms such as fish, canaries and insects has been common in the detection and monitoring of pollutants in the environment. These organisms with different methods can help to detect or continuously monitor the presence of pollutants and determine their concentration levels in the environment such as aquatic environments. Conclusion: In the biological monitoring by using of living organisms such as mosses to measure heavy metals, killer trout in mountain streams to assess water temperature, canaries in coal mines to assess the amount of carbon monoxide and methane gas and many other organisms known as bioindicators, are used to detect the effects of disturbances and stresses. With mechanisms such as bioaccumulation, biochemical changes, behavioral and morphological changes, and population changes, these living organisms enable the ability to detect and determine the amount of pollutants.