General biochemical indices of sublethal stress
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
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| Keywords |
Analysis > Biochemical analysis
Environmental impact
Enzymatic activity
Methodology
Monitoring > Environmental monitoring
Pollution > Water pollution > Marine pollution
Pollution effects
Stress
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract |
Techniques which measure the biological effects of pollutants are critical to any programme of environmental impact assessment. The three indices or areas discussed offer potential of biological effects monitoring. Unlike the measurement of metallothioneins or mixed function oxidase activity ("specific" biochemical indices of stress) which identify specific offending stressors, the possible benefits of these three indices are likely to be sensitivity (both quickness of response and level of stressor), ease of measurement and the fact that they represent additional indices for the interpretation and understanding of complex environmental situations. In the case of the general enzyme measurements, it may be that a few such indices could be used routinely in environmental monitoring programmes with a larger number being available where a more detailed analysis is required. |
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