Biological monitoring

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-003253",
  "term": "Biological monitoring",
  "field": "Environment",
  "term_source": "Biological Monitoring",
  "definition": "1. Use of a biological entity as a detector and its response as a measure to determine environmental conditions. Toxicity tests and ambient biological surveys are common biological monitoring methods.\n\n2. The measurement of chemicals in biological media (e.g., blood, urine, exhaled breath) to determine whether chemical exposure in humans, animals, or plants has occurred.\n\n3. Measuring hazardous substances in biologic materials (such as blood, hair, urine, or breath) to determine whether exposure has occurred. A blood test for lead is an example of biologic monitoring.\n\n4. Biomonitoring: 1) The use of living organisms to test the suitability of effluents for discharge into receiving waters and to test the quality of such waters downstream from the discharge. 2) Analysis of blood, urine, tissues, etc. to measure chemical exposure in humans.\n\n5. Sampling the biota of a place (e.g., a stream, a woodlot, or a wetland).",
  "abbreviation": "Biomonitoring",
  "subject": "Water",
  "see_also": [
    "Biomonitoring"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Biocriteria Glossary",
    "EPA 2004",
    "ATSDR 2004",
    "EPA 2005b",
    "Glossary of Wetland Bioassessment Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/biological-monitoring/"
}