Assessing behavioural and physiological responses of three aquatic invertebrates to tributyltin and atrazine in a multi-species, early warning biomonitoring technology

Recent global events and anthropogenic changes to the natural environment have raised concerns about the quality of drinking water consumed by the public throughout the world. Traditional chemical testing is slow and is not performed for all possible contaminants, necessitating the development of innovative new technology to detect and mitigate threats to human health. The development of a multi-species, early-warning biomonitoring technology, based on behavioural and physiological changes in aquatic organisms, greatly furthers this goal. In this study, changes in movement behaviour and respiration rates were examined in three aquatic species, Daphnia magna, Hyalella azteca and Lumbriculus variegates, exposed to varying concentrations of TBT and atrazine, using digital video analysis and direct oxygen measurement. Different parameters of movement were examined and evaluated for inclusion in a multi-species, early-warning biomonitoring technology and the utility of incorporating these parameters into a model to determine classes and concentrations of various contaminants is discussed. An evaluation of whether or not direct measurement of oxygen consumption rates is feasible and useful for inclusion in a multi-species, early-warning biomonitoring technology is also discussed.