Use of biomarkers in aquatic environment

Molecular biomarkers allow to identify biological responses at different levels, e.g. the whole organism (animal, plant, bacteria, etc.) or its compartments (tissues, cells, sub-cellular organelles) once the pollutants or chemical stressors are present in the environment. This approximation allows to know sub-lethal metabolic and physiological reactions in different types of organisms (Muñoz et al., 2015; Giuliani and Regoli, 2015; Milan et al., 2015). Additionally, molecular biomarkers can permit the integration of typical measures of physical-chemical pullulans and biological responses (Capela et al., 2016).For the development and use of a molecular biomarker, it is necessary to know variables that could affect their expression and, in consequence, lead to confuse interpretations.These variables are: i) physical parameters such as the geography, weather conditions, mineral compositions of water and sediments and anthropogenic impact; ii) the pollutant or the stressor itself, which generally is a mixture of organic molecules or metals with different solubility and different ability to be taken from the ecosystem; iii) target species, that could be either endemic or introduced and iv) molecular biomarkers, the specific molecule or response used to measure the extent of the impact. 

Molecular biomarkers are nothing but the gene /or its products, usefed to estimate change and spread of damage levels in ecosystem. Coming to the aquatic environment it is necessary to understand the consequences of the pollution or its mixture that pollute water. Based on this fact, many molecular biomarkers were developed to maintain aquatic ecosystem. These molecular biomarker are now being used by some international groups (OSPAR and HELCOM) for monitoring protected areas such as, transitional water, inland surface water, ground water, coastal water etc.. Read more..............