BIO-MONITORING OF WATER

WHY TO DO BIO-MONITORING?

Generally, the water quality management is related to indentified beneficial uses of water in terms primary water quality criteria parameters. 'Designated- best-use' concept was evolved on the same basis. Five major uses of river water have been conceived. If a water body is put to multiple use, then the use which demands the highest quality of water is called designated-best-use and accordingly the water body or its part is designated. Measurement of chemical and physical characteristics have been used far either to detect pollution or to control it. Biological monitoring of water quality could be useful for assessing the over all health of water bodies because of the following:

  • The list of chemicals to be monitored is unending.
  • Biological effects often occur at concentrations below analytical capabilities. Many of the pollutants are present in such low concentrations that instrument sensitivity is too poor to determine the micro quantity of pollutants.
  • The toxicants and other traces may act quite differently in mixture than individually. Such toxicants affect the ecosystem in a synergistic manner, which con not be detected by chemical analysis alone.
  • Chemical nature of toxicant is highly dynamic in environment with time and space, whereas biological system can integrate all environmental variable over a long period of time in terms of effects which can be easily measured and quantified.
Back to Content