1. Advancing environmental monitoring across the water continuum combining biomarker analysis in multiple sentinel species: A case study in the Seine-Normandie Basin (France).
- Author
-
Slaby, Sylvain, Geffard, Alain, Fisson, Cédric, Bonnevalle-Normand, Matthieu, Allonier-Fernandes, Anne-Sophie, Amara, Rachid, Bado-Nilles, Anne, Bonnard, Isabelle, Bonnard, Marc, Burlion-Giorgi, Mayélé, Cant, Amélie, Catteau, Audrey, Chaumot, Arnaud, Costil, Katherine, Coulaud, Romain, Delahaut, Laurence, Diop, Mamadou, Duflot, Aurélie, Geffard, Olivier, and Jestin, Emmanuel
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL monitoring , *BIOMARKERS , *WATER management , *ECOLOGICAL assessment , *BIOLOGICAL monitoring , *ENVIRONMENTAL quality - Abstract
Nowadays, biomarkers are recognized as valuable tools to complement chemical and ecological assessments in biomonitoring programs. They provide insights into the effects of contaminant exposures on individuals and establish connections between environmental pressure and biological response at higher levels. In the last decade, strong improvements in the design of experimental protocols and the result interpretation facilitated the use of biomarker across wide geographical areas, including aquatic continua. Notably, the statistical establishment of reference values and thresholds enabled the discrimination of contamination effects in environmental conditions, allowed interspecies comparisons, and eliminated the need of a reference site. The aim of this work was to study freshwater-estuarine-coastal water continua by applying biomarker measurements in multi-species caged organisms. During two campaigns, eight sentinel species, encompassing fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, were deployed to cover 25 sites from rivers to the sea. As much as possible, a common methodology was employed for biomarker measurements (DNA damage and phagocytosis efficiency) and data interpretation based on guidelines established using reference values and induction/inhibition thresholds (establishment of three effect levels). The methodology was successfully implemented and allowed us to assess the environmental quality. Employing multiple species per site enhances confidence in observed trends. The results highlight the feasibility of integrating biomarker-based environmental monitoring programs across a continuum scale. Biomarker results align with Water Framework Directive indicators in cases of poor site quality. Additionally, when discrepancies arise between chemical and ecological statuses, biomarker findings offer a comprehensive perspective to elucidate the disparities. Presented as a pilot project, this work contributes to gain insights into current biomonitoring needs, providing new questions and perspectives. • A novel strategy to monitor aquatic continua using biomarkers is proposed. • A common analysis method was applied in multi-species caged organisms. • Biomarkers provide clear and easily useable assessment of the environmental quality. • Reference values and thresholds are recommended to interpret biomarker responses. • Biomarker-based monitoring on a wide scale complements the WFD evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF