ndicators Biomarkers, Bioindicators, and Ecological Risk
Assessment—A Brief Review and Evaluation
Biomarkers, Bioindicators, and Ecological Risk Assessment S.M. Bartell STEVEN M. BARTELL
E2 Consulting Engineers, Inc., Maryville, Tennessee, USA
Cellular and subcellular measures of exposure (biomarkers) and effects (bioindicators)
continue to be developed. This development is justified in part by the potential
application of these technologies in supporting ecological risk assessment (ERA).
However, application of biomarkers in assessing ecological risk remains infrequent
and of questionable utility. The following discussion examines the potential for
increasing the utility of biomarkers and bioindicators in ERA. Recent studies suggest
that biomarkers can contribute to most aspects of a commonly used framework for
ERA. Methods that address gene expression (i.e., proteomics) appear particularly
promising in terms of economy in application and significance of results. The primary
challenges in using biomarkers/bioindicators to assess risk include the difficulties in
(1) developing stressor-specific, quantitative dose-response functions and (2) projecting
higher-order ecological effects from cellular or subcellular bioindicators.
ndicators Biomarkers, Bioindicators, and Ecological RiskAssessment—A Brief Review and EvaluationBiomarkers, Bioindicators, and Ecological Risk Assessment S.M. Bartell STEVEN M. BARTELLE2 Consulting Engineers, Inc., Maryville, Tennessee, USACellular and subcellular measures of exposure (biomarkers) and effects (bioindicators)continue to be developed. This development is justified in part by the potentialapplication of these technologies in supporting ecological risk assessment (ERA).However, application of biomarkers in assessing ecological risk remains infrequentand of questionable utility. The following discussion examines the potential forincreasing the utility of biomarkers and bioindicators in ERA. Recent studies suggestthat biomarkers can contribute to most aspects of a commonly used framework forERA. Methods that address gene expression (i.e., proteomics) appear particularlypromising in terms of economy in application and significance of results. The primarychallenges in using biomarkers/bioindicators to assess risk include the difficulties in(1) developing stressor-specific, quantitative dose-response functions and (2) projectinghigher-order ecological effects from cellular or subcellular bioindicators.
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