Selection of Animal and Plant Test Organisms for the Integral Assessment of the Quality of Natural Fresh Water

A detailed description of test organisms from a set for the integrated bioassay of the quality of natural and drinking water is given. Their choice is substantiated, as well as the sensitivity to various classes of toxic substances with respect to specific individuals, and the advantages and disadvantages for the bioassay of water with a low level of contamination are considered. The biological substantiation of the selected animal and plant test organisms with various trophic levels is given along with accounting for their selective sensitivity to toxic substances of various origins. The possibilities of using tissue cells of test organisms to determine cytotoxicity and genotoxicity when changing the physicochemical parameters of the aquatic environment are considered. The prospects for extrapolating the results of the integrated bioassay to the human body with long-term consumption of low-quality drinking water are discussed. A formula for calculating the amount of intake of a chemical substance into the human body is proposed. It is emphasized that the degree of biological pollution of the aquatic environment cannot be adequately assessed by bioassay methods.