A Knowledge-Based Approach to Environmental Biomonitoring

Abstract

This paper presents the design, development and implementation of an integrated GIS-controlled knowledge-based system for environmental monitoring applications, utilizing indigenous flora for assessing quality. The system gathers and combines geographical, ecological, and physicochemical data of organisms' response to pollution within an intelligent computer program that (a) recognises groups of indigenous species suitable for long-term monitoring of a specific pollutant or a combination of pollutants, (b) estimates the ambient concentration of pollutant(s) from the population of the species comprising the bioindicator group and (c) provides biomonitoring capacity indices at national and international/transboundary levels. Significantly, a novel system in the form of a rational framework at the conceptual design level has been developed, that actually contributes towards achieving a cost-effective long-term biomonitoring program, with the flexibility to counter on-course any (anticipated or not) variations/modifications of the surveillance environment: the scheme assumes a robust dynamic cooperation between instrumental and biomonitoring systems, with a view to minimise uncertainty and monitoring costs and increase reliability of pollution control and abatement, aiming eventually at the shifting, partially or totally, from instrumental to natural monitoring. The proposed approach is presently implemented at pilot-scale for establishing a biomonitoring network at a large industrial area in Greece. The results obtained indicate that a cost-effective program can be only attained and maintained under a suitable financial/organizational scheme at the macro level, whereas the micro level viability strongly depends upon careful management of human resources and fixed assets.

Biomonitoring of Airborne Heavy Metal Contamination

“…Approximately 5 million chemicals are presently known and 80,000 in use; 500 -1,000 are added per year resulting in a progressive increase in the flux of bioavailable chemical forms to the atmosphere. Therefore air pollution has been one of the major threats to human health and the environment since the last century (Obbard et al, 2005;Batzias & Siontorou, 2006;Dmuchowski & Bytnerowicz, 2009). …”

Coelomocyte biomarkers in the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)

“…At waste sites, TNT long-term stable degradation product-soil complexes may be formed (Achtnich and Lenke 2001;Neuwoehner et al 2007). Therefore, in assessing the integrated toxicity of all present contaminants, bioassays using relevant bioindicator organisms should be performed in support of chemical analysis (Scott-Fordsmand and Weeks 2000;Robidoux et al 2002;Lewis et al 2004;Belden et al 2005;Neuwoehner et al 2007;Batzias and Siontorou 2006). In a search for non-mammalian species for evaluating the impact due to anthropogenic compounds released to the terrestrial environment, earthworm is the species of choice (Fugère et al 1996;Scott-Fordsmand and Weeks 2000).…”

Rapid quantitative assessment of visible injury to vegetation and visual amenity effects of fluoride air pollution

“…Bytnerowicz et al 2002Bytnerowicz et al , 2007Batzias and Siontorou 2006). When injury distribution patterns are plotted, contours can be drawn to enclose the extremities of occurrence of a particular grade of injury, and this outer limit represents the lower percentage of leaf area injured for that grade.…”