Aquatic Pollution and Coastal Management

Unit 11 : Monitoring and control of pollution

11.6.Sentinel organisms
Sentinel organisms, or indicator species that accumulate pollutants in their tissues from the surrounding environment or from food, are important biomonitoring devices . The Mussel Watch is one such use of a sentinel species . Filter feeders, such as bivalves (clams and mussels), tend to concentrate metals in their gills or other tissues. The widespread blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) accumulates metals in certain tissues over time. As a result, M. edulis became a species monitored in the U.S. waters as well as internationally for changes in levels of pollution . Seaweeds, (e.g., Fucus spp.) accumulate metals. Older algal tissue can be compared to newer tissue in the same individual to determine the history of contaminants in an area . Metals and organochlorines accumulate in finfish and territorial species or non-migratory species such as pike, and largemouth bass, can be used for an accurate indication of mercury and organochlorine pollution in a water body .