Analytical techniques applied to bioindicators in environmental control: Honeybees, mussels, bioluminescent bacteria: Rapid immunoassays for pesticide detection

The toxic pollutants are widely distributed on terrestrial and marine environment and their early identification is fundamental to prevent or to control the damages to humans and environment. The environmental monitoring of toxic pollutants by bioindicators like bioluminescent bacteria (BLB), mussels and honeybees, both in terrestrial and marine environment is reported. BLB and mussels have been employed to assess the toxicity of heavy metals in lagoon slime samples and seawater, respectively. Honeybees were applied, coupled to suitable immunoassays, to the determination of azinphos-methyl and thiram pesticides.