Bioindicators in Environmental Monitoring: Bioluminescent Bacteria, Mussels and Honeybees

Toxic pollutants are found everywhere in the environment and their early detection is of primary importance to avoid damages. Bioindicators are very useful tools, serving as early warnings that a community or an ecosystem is being degraded. Several organisms can work as bioindicators. The paper presents some new researches concerning pollutants monitoring using as bioindicator organisms: bioluminescent bacteria, mussels and honeybees. Heavy metals and organic pollutants as pesticides and hydrocarbons were assessed in soil and water, and, by using honeybees, even phytopathogenic microorganisms were detected.