Assessment of marine environmental stress based on the integrated biomarker response index model: A case study in west coast of Guangxi.

Meretrix meretrix were collected for 3 times from 2011 to 2012, at 5 stations along west coast of Guangxi and wild and used as a biological indicator for assessing the marine environmental stress. Six biomarkers at individual, cellular and molecular levels were selected, including time required to drill the sand, phagocytic ability, stability of lysosomal membrane, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE), and comet rate. Utilizing the Integrated Biological Response Index (IBR) model, the above biomarkers were integratedly analyzed and the data were displayed by intuitionistic star plots to evaluate the environmental situation of the 5 stations. The results indicated that the biological response indices (IBR/ n) of the 5 stations varied between 2.30 and 8.68. Maowei Sea had the highest environmental stress, whereas Beilun Estuary had the lowest. Although different biomarkers were different in response to pollution stress, IBR model could effectively distinguish environmental stress of a specific area. The results of biomarker monitoring were basically in agreement with those of chemical monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]