The integrated biomarker response revisited: optimization to avoid misuse

Type Article
Date 2014-02
Language English
Author(s) Devin S.1, 3, Burgeot Thierry2, Giamberini L.1, Minguez L.1, Pain-Devin S.1, 3
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Lorraine, Lab Interdisciplinaire Environm Continentaux, CNRS UMR 7360, F-57070 Metz, France.
2 : IFREMER, IFREMER Ctr Nantes, Lab Ecotoxicol, Dept Biogeochim & Ecotoxicol, Nantes, France.
3 : LIEC, F-57070 Metz, France.
Source Environmental Science And Pollution Research (0944-1344) (Springer Heidelberg), 2014-02 , Vol. 21 , N. 4 , P. 2448-2454
DOI 10.1007/s11356-013-2169-9
WOS© Times Cited 93
Keyword(s) Biomarkers, Integrated Index, Environmental risk assessment, Pollution, Water Framework Directive
Abstract The growing need to evaluate the quality of aquatic ecosystems led to the development of numerous monitoring tools. Among them, the development of biomarker-based procedures, that combine precocity and relevance, is recommended. However, multi-biomarker approaches are often hard to interpret, and produce results that are not easy to integrate in the environmental policies framework. Integrative index have been developed, and one of the most used is the integrated biomarker response (IBR). However, an analysis of available literature demonstrated that the IBR suffers from a frequent misuse and a bias in its calculation. Then, we propose here a new calculation method based on both a more simple formula and a permutation procedure. Together, these improvements should rightly avoid the misuse and bias that were recorded. Additionally, a case study illustrates how the new procedure enabled to perform a reliable classification of site along a pollution gradient based on biomarker responses used in the IBR calculations.
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