What is biomonitoring
Biomonitoring is a scientific method of assessing environmental quality or health risks by observing and analyzing organisms or their metabolites. It is widely used in environmental protection, public health, food safety and other fields to help scientists and decision-makers understand the impact of pollutants, pathogens or other harmful substances in the environment. This article will introduce in detail the definition, application fields, common methods and recent hot topics of biomonitoring.
1. Definition of biomonitoring

Biological monitoring refers to the process of using organisms (such as plants, animals, microorganisms) or their metabolites as indicators to detect and evaluate pollutants, toxins or other harmful substances in the environment. Through biological monitoring, changes in chemical, physical or biological factors in the environment can be intuitively reflected, providing scientific basis for environmental management and health protection.
2. Application fields of biomonitoring
Biological monitoring has important applications in many fields. The following is a summary of its main application areas:
| Application areas | Specific content |
|---|---|
| environmental protection | Monitor pollutants in water, soil and air to assess the health of ecosystems. |
| public health | Test levels of toxins or contaminants in the human body to assess health risks. |
| food safety | Detect harmful substances in food through biological monitoring technology to ensure food safety. |
| Industrial monitoring | Assess the impact of industrial emissions on the environment and human body, and optimize production processes. |
3. Commonly used methods of biological monitoring
There are many methods of biological monitoring. The following are some common technical methods:
| method name | Description |
|---|---|
| Biomarker monitoring | Contaminant exposure levels are assessed by detecting specific molecules or metabolites in organisms. |
| biosensor technology | Rapid detection is achieved by utilizing the specific reaction between biomolecules (such as enzymes and antibodies) and target substances. |
| Ecotoxicology testing | Toxic effects are assessed by observing behavioral or physiological changes in organisms in contaminated environments. |
| Genomics analysis | Through gene sequencing technology, the impact of pollutants on biological gene expression is studied. |
4. Recent hot topics and hot content
In the past 10 days, hot topics in the field of biomonitoring have mainly focused on the following aspects:
| hot topics | Hot content |
|---|---|
| Biological monitoring of microplastic pollution | Research has discovered the accumulation effect of microplastics in marine organisms, which has attracted widespread attention. |
| Wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 | By monitoring viral RNA in wastewater, we can predict the development trend of the epidemic. |
| Innovation in biomonitoring technology | The combination of new biosensors and artificial intelligence technology improves monitoring efficiency and accuracy. |
| Climate change and biological monitoring | Assessing the impacts of climate change on ecosystems using biomonitoring data. |
5. Future development of biomonitoring
With the advancement of science and technology, biological monitoring technology will become more accurate and efficient. Possible future development directions include:
1.Intelligent monitoring: Combine artificial intelligence and big data technology to achieve real-time monitoring and data analysis.
2.Multidisciplinary integration: Biological monitoring will be deeply integrated with chemistry, physics, computer science and other fields to develop more advanced monitoring tools.
3.Global cooperation: Countries will strengthen data sharing and cooperation to jointly address environmental pollution and public health challenges.
In short, biomonitoring, as an interdisciplinary science and technology, plays an irreplaceable role in the fields of environmental protection and human health. In the future, with the continuous innovation of technology, biological monitoring will provide more powerful support for sustainable development.
check the details
check the details