IMPLICAÇÕES DO USO DA ECOTOXICOLOGIA NA AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DE AMBIENTES AQUÁTICOS

Abstract

Chemical and biological analyses are thetwo major approaches for the quality assessment of watersamples. Ecotoxicology is a biological analysis that consistsin conducting tests to detect acute or chronic effects, due toinadequate conditions, in organisms exposed to potentiallycontamined samples. The results of ecotoxicological testsare usually extrapolated to the environment aiming theprotection of all the organisms. However, these tests haveadvantages and limitations, which are common featuresamong the environmental analyses due to their complexnature. The assessment of those advantages and limitationsis essential to acknowledge and to minimize the ecologicalrisks assumed in the data extrapolation. In this context,integrated studies, including chemical analyses, toxicity testsusing organisms of several trophic levels, field tests (in situ)and ecological studies are suggested for a more realisticanalysis of environmental quality and for a better ecologicalrisks assessment.Palavras-chave ⎯ Avaliação de Riscos Ecológicos,Biotestes, Ecotoxicologia, Qualidade da Água.