MODERN APPROACHES TO BIOINDICATIVE MONITORING OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.2.26.11Keywords:
biomonitoring, aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton, diatoms, ichthyotoxicology, xenobiotics, mycotoxins, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, biochemical markersAbstract
Modern anthropogenic pressure on aquatic ecosystems demands the implementation of highly sensitive monitoring methods capable of detecting homeostatic disruptions in hydrobionts at early stages. Traditional hydrobiological approaches based on the structural and functional organization of planktonic and benthic communities are increasingly being integrated with molecular-biochemical and toxicological test systems. A particular threat to the stability of ichthyocenoses and aquaculture facilities is posed by the chronic influx of chemical xenobiotics (herbicides, surfactants) and biological contaminants (mycotoxins, specifically aflatoxin B1 and T-2 toxin). In this regard, the theoretical synthesis and analytical evaluation of the informativeness of modern coenotic, molecular-genetic, and biochemical markers used for the integrated ecological audit of water bodies is highly relevant.
The aim of the study was to perform a systematic analysis and synthesis of modern methodological approaches to the bioindicative monitoring of aquatic ecosystems, identifying the most informative molecular-biochemical, coenotic, and ichthyotoxicological markers of anthropogenic transformation of water bodies and the assessment of the adaptive potential of hydrobionts.
Methodology was based on the systematic analysis, comparative assessment, and synthesis of results from contemporary field and experimental studies within the global scientific space. The subjects of this analytical review included the development parameters of successional processes in phytoplankton and diatom algae, the peculiarities of fish embryogenesis under the influence of climatic factors, as well as fluctuations in energy metabolism (mitochondrial respiration enzymes, gluconeogenesis), lipid and nucleic acid metabolism (DNA, RNA, free nucleotides), the intensity of lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant defense in target organs of cyprinid fish under the action of chemical and biological pollutants.
Scientific novelty of the work lies in the systematization and critical analysis of multi-level biomonitoring markers, substantiating the necessity of moving away from mono-parametric evaluations. For the first time, long-term ecological monitoring vectors at the phyto- and benthocoenosis levels have been comprehensively combined and conceptualized alongside cellular receptor expression (TRPV4) and the seasonal dynamics of enzymatic alterations in the fish organism under conditions of combined chemical (pesticides, surfactants) and biological (mycotoxicosis) loading.
Conclusions. It has been proven that evaluating the species diversity of microalgae is a reliable indicator of long-term changes in the trophic status of river systems, whereas the parameters of early fish ontogeny reflect the impact of global climatic factors. It was established that under the influence of chemical xenobiotics and mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, T-2 toxin), the universal and most sensitive criteria for early pathological processes are the intensification of lipid peroxidation, depression of the antioxidant system, inhibition of nucleic acid metabolism, and destruction of mitochondrial enzymatic pathways. The obtained results substantiate the viability of developing and practically implementing integrated multi-marker panels into the general system of ecological monitoring for both natural water bodies and industrial aquaculture.
Downloads
References
Dembowska, E.A. (2021). The use of phytoplankton in the assessment of water quality in the lower section of Poland’s largest river. Water, 13(23), 3471. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233471
Filonenko, D., & Mekhed, O. (2025). Biochemical assessment of the effect of aflatoxin B1 on nucleic acid levels in tissues of crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Biota. Human. Technology, (3), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.3.25.9
Філоненко Д., Мехед О. Біохімічна оцінка впливу афлатоксину В1 на рівень нуклеїнових кислот у тканинах карася звичайного (Carassius carassius). Biota. Human. Technology. 2025. № 3. С. 95–102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.3.25.9
Fornari, D.C., Peixoto, S., Ksepka, S.P., Bullard, S.A., Rossi, W., Nuzback, D.E., & Davis, D.A. (2023). Effects of dietary mycotoxins and mycotoxin adsorbent additives on production performance, hermatological parameters, and liver histology in juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Frontiers in Animal Science, 4, 1281722. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2023.1281722
Gökçe, D. (2022). The importance and effectiveness of aquatic biomonitoring. New Paradigms in Environmental Biomonitoring Using Plants. Elsevier, 45–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824351-0.00007-9
Hassan, F. F. (2018). Detection of aflatoxin B1 in some canned foods and reduction of toxin by ultraviolet radiation. Iraqi Journal of Science, 58(4C), 2343–2349. https://doi.org/10.24996/ijs.2017.58.4C.10
Koletsi, P., Schrama, J.W., Graat, E.A.M., Wiegertjes, G.F., Lyons, P., & Pietsch, C. (2021). The Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Raw Materials and Fish Feeds in Europe and the Potential Effects of Deoxynivalenol (DON) on the Health and Growth of Farmed Fish Species-A Review. Toxins, 13(6), 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13060403
Kovalsky, P., Kos, G., Nährer, K., Schwab, C., Jenkins, T., Schatzmayr, G., Sulyok, M., & Krska, R. (2016). Co-occurrence of regulated, masked and emerging mycotoxins and secondary metabolites in finished feed and maize-an extensive survey. Toxins, 8(12), 363. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins8120363
Lee, H.J., Lee, S.Y., & Kim, Y.K. (2021). Molecular characterization of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) gene transcript variant mRNA of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta in response to salinity or temperature changes. Gene, 795, 145779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2021.145779
Masouras, A., Karaouzas, I., Dimitriou, E., Tsirtsis, G., & Smeti, E. (2021). Benthic diatoms in river biomonitoring-present and future perspectives within the water framework directive. Water, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/w13040478
Mekhed, O. (2024). Changes in the biochemical indicators of hydrobionts in response to the toxic effect of mycotoxin T2. One World – One Health: I International Scientific and Practical Conference (4–5 June 2024, Słupsk, Poland). P. 263–266.
Mekhed, O. B., Yakovenko, B. V., & Iskevych, Ye. V. (2019). Seasonal dynamics of herbicides' toxic impact on activity of enzymes of terminal gluconeogenesis reactions and glucose content in carp tissues. Hydrobiological Journal, 55(3), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.1615/HydrobJ.v55.i3.80
Mushtaq, M., Sultana, V., Anwar, F., et al. (2012). Occurrence of aflatoxins in selected processed foods from Pakistan. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 13(7), 8324–8337. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms1307832
Nikolaenko, T., Ivashchenko, M., Ivashchenko, N., & Mekhed, O. (2023). Adaptive changes in blood indicators of scaly carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) in response to water pollution. Natural resources of the border areas in the conditions of climate change. Chernihiv: Desna-Polihraf, 99–100. (in Ukrainian)
Ніколаєнко Т., Іващенко М., Іващенко Н., Мехед О. Адаптивні зміни показників крові коропа лускатого (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) як відповідь на забруднення води. Природні ресурси прикордонних територій в умовах зміни клімату. Чернігів: Десна-Поліграф, 2023. С. 99–100.
Pickova, D., Ostry, V., & Malir, F. A (2021). Recent Overview of Producers and Important Dietary Sources of Aflatoxins. Toxins, 13, 186. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13030186
Park, J. W., Kim, B. S., Kim, J. K., Jung, H. K., Park, H. J., & Lee, C. I. (2024). Influence of salinity on the survival rate of fertilized chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) eggs. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 12(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12010039
Polotnianko, L., & Mekhed, O. (2023). Accumulation of mycotoxins in the muscles of scaly carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) when fed T-2 toxin-contaminated feed. Natural resources of the border areas in the conditions of climate change. Chernihiv: Desna-Polihraf, 105–106. (in Ukrainian).
Полотнянко Л., Мехед О. Накопичення мікотоксинів у м'язах коропа лускатого (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) при згодовуванні корму, контамінованого T2-токсином. Природні ресурси прикордонних територій в умовах зміни клімату. Чернігів: Десна-Поліграф, 2023. С. 105–106.
Polotnianko, L., & Mekhed, O. (2024). Changes in the morphological indicators of carp under the action of mycotoxin T2. Biota. Human. Technology, (3), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.3.24.4 (in Ukrainian)
Sevi, A., Marino, R., Lorenzo, J. M., et al. (2016). Strategies to improve meat quality and safety. The Scientific World Journal, Article ID 9523621. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9523621
Shkurko, M., Sadchenko, N. M., & Mekhed, O. (2024). Influence of water environment contamination with mycotoxins on ichthyological indicators and metabolic processes in carp fish. Proceedings of the All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation of Students, Graduate Students and Young Scientists (20 November 2024, Chernihiv). Chernihiv: Nizhyn Mykola Gogol University, 89–90. (in Ukrainian).
Шкурко М., Садченко Н. М., Мехед О. Вплив забруднення водного середовища мікотоксинами на іхтіологічні показники та метаболічні процеси в організмі коропових риб. Збірник тез доповідей Всеукраїнської науково-практичної конференції з міжнародною участю студентів, аспірантів і молодих учених (20 листопада 2024 р., Чернігів). Чернігів: НУЧК імені Т. Г. Шевченка, 2024. С. 89–90.
Simonova, N. A., & Mekhed, O. B. (2025). Effect of toxicants of different chemical nature on lipid peroxidation intensity in the liver of scaly carp (Cyprinus carpio). Natural Science Education and Science, 4, 171–180. https://doi.org/10.32782/NSER/2025-4.22 (in Ukrainian).
Симонова Н. А., Мехед О. Б. Вплив токсикантів різної хімічної природи на інтенсивність перекисного окиснення ліпідів у печінці коропа лускатого (Cyprinus carpio). Природнича освіта і наука. 2025. Вип. 4. С. 171–180. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/NSER/2025-4.22
Symonova, N. A., Mekhed, O. B., Kupchyk, O. Y., & Tretyak, O. P. (2018). Toxicants in the degradation of lipids in the organism of scaly carp. Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 8(4), 6–10. https://doi.org/10.15421/2018_234
Yakovenko, B. V., Tretyak, A. P., Mekhed, O. B., Khaitova, A. D., & Simonova, N. A. (2017). Effect of xenobiotics on the activity of the antioxidant system in carp tissues. Scientific Notes of Ternopil National Pedagogical University. Series: Biology, 2(69), 76–80. (in Ukrainian).
Яковенко Б. В., Третяк А. П., Мехед О. Б., Хайтова А. Д., Симонова Н. А. Вплив ксенобіотиків на активність антиоксидантної системи в тканинах коропа. Наукові записки Тернопільського національного педагогічного університету. Серія: Біологія. 2017. № 2 (69). С. 76–80.
Yakovenko, B. V., Tretyak, O. P., Mekhed, O. B., & Iskevych, O. V. (2018). Effect of herbicides and surfactants on enzymes of energy metabolism of the Cyprinus carpio. Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 8(1), 948–952. https://doi.org/10.1615/HydrobJ.v55.i3.80
Ye, T., Yang, A., Wang, Y., Song, N., Wang, P., & Xu, H. (2022). Changes of the physicochemical properties of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from Microcystis aeruginosa in response to microplastics. Environmental Pollution, 315, 120354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120354
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ірина Мунасипова-Мотяш, Наталія Ткачук
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
