Most hydrotechnical buildings under construction demand the concrete mixture to be set directly under water. The main reason for such a procedure is to limit the washing away of the the concrete binding mixture and to increase the efficiency of organisation of work so as to ensure continuity in concreting. The impact on the aquatic environment of recent developments in concrete technology and the use of new components has not yet been established. Natural pebble aggregate containing portland cement and fugacious siliceous ash as a binder was used to prepare BP concrete samples, while concrete marked LB was composed with lightweight aggregate and portland cement as a binder. The aim of this paper was to answer to the question whether hydrotechnical concrete of different compositions (BP and LB) and the technology of setting in a water habitat have any influence on the life condition of commonly occurring Dreissena polymorpha (Mollusca, Bivalvia). The lethal effect of two types of freshly hardening concrete was observed. In the case of LB concrete the lethal outcome for D. polymorpha could be the effect of a considerable increase of electrolytic conduction in the test cultivation. In the case of BP the parameters of electrolytic conductivity and pH did not exceed the values appearing in lakes. The possibility of the occurrence of toxic compounds of D. polymorpha, arising from the reaction of the aquatic / lake environment or the elution of some components should be taken into account. D. polymorpha serves as an indicator of toxicity in the aquatic environment and therefore can be used as a model organism in the analysis of the influence concrete on the natural environment. The results obtained in this study indicate the significant impact of modern chemical composition of concrete on the aquatic environment and the living organisms that cover it. They underline the need for research based on the hydrobiont reaction to the substances used in the natural environment.

The intensive civilization development implies searching for new possibilities connected with extension of city agglomerations, both the areas of flat building and the industrial areas. One of the most interesting solution is to use water reservoirs, rivers and sea areas. The extension of buildings affects the building materials, especially hydrotechnical concrete. Water structures are usually the objects of huge dimensions exposed to extreme conditions. In most cases these buildings are specific and complicated. They require an individual approach to concrete mix design and should be monitored by measurement technologies supported by automated numerical examinations. Nowadays health monitoring systems are applied to large variety of engineering structures. In order to get the required quality of hydrotechnical concrete, additives and admixtures are necessary. The material properties of underwater concrete can be also improved using polymer and steel fibers of various content and length. The majority of areas are built of concrete, that is the reason to be aware of admixture influence on the environment and living organisms. The attempt to evaluate the description of different kinds of hydrotechnical concrete as potential habitat of water organisms, was indicated in the paper.

The aim of this research was to test the potential of applying a flow cytometric procedure to evaluate the impact of concrete compounds’ release to the freshwater microbiome. Cells from the collected samples were stained with a fluorogenic redox indicator dye that measures the redox potential of microbial cells. This novel approach was combined with the assessment of microorganisms’ penetration into the internal structures of concrete using the Rose Bengal sodium salt staining. Rose Bengal staining revealed an intense fouling of the upper and side walls of the concrete cubes and also indicated the penetration of microorganisms inside the concrete as observed for the cubes’ cross-sections. Flow cytometric cellular redox potential measurement revealed high percentages of active cells within the concrete’s porous structures and in non-exposed water (32.7% and 30.2% of active cells) versus samples from exposed water and concrete’s outer surfaces (6.8%, 6.1%, and 3.3% of active cells). The results demonstrated a detrimental impact of hydro-technical concrete on the vitality of microbial cells within the freshwater environment. Tested protocol by analyzing the physiology of microbial cells improved the functional description of complex communities to evaluate the fate of contaminants present in the concrete-based hydro-technical infrastructure.