title: Nondestructive biomarkers in ecotoxicology.
abstract: The aim of this article is to attempt a concise review of the state of the art of the nondestructive biomarkers approach in vertebrates, establishing a consensus on the most useful and sensitive nondestructive biomarker techniques, and proposing research priorities for the development and validation of this promising methodology. The following topics are discussed: the advantages of the use of nondestructive strategies in biomonitoring programs and the research fields in which nondestructive biomarkers can be applied; the biological materials suitable for nondestructive biomarkers and residue analysis in vertebrates; which biomarkers lend themselves to noninvasive techniques; and the validation and implementation strategy of the nondestructive biomarker approach. Examples of applications of this methodology in the hazard assessment of endangered species are also presented.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fossi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002591:Cetacea; D004463:Ecology; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D012104:Reptiles
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers