title: Monitoring of environmental pollutants by bioluminescent bacteria.
abstract: This review deals with the applications of bioluminescent bacteria to the environmental analyses, published during the years 2000-2007. The ecotoxicological assessment, by bioassays, of the environmental risks and the luminescent approaches are reported. The review includes a brief introduction to the characteristics and applications of bioassays, a description of the characteristics and applications of natural bioluminescent bacteria (BLB), and a collection of the main applications to organic and inorganic pollutants. The light-emitting genetically modified bacteria applications, as well as the bioluminescent immobilized systems and biosensors are outlined. Considerations about commercially available BLB and BLB catalogues are also reported. Most of the environmental applications, here mentioned, of luminescent organisms are on wastewater, seawater, surface and ground water, tap water, soil and sediments, air. Comparison to other bioindicators and bioassay has been also made. Various tables have been inserted, to make easier to take a rapid glance at all possible references concerning the topic of specific interest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metallurgic Science, Electrochemistry and Chemical Techniques, University of Bologna, Via S. Donato 15, 40127 Bologna, Italy. stefano.girotti@unibo.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girotti
authors.forename: Elida Nora
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fumo
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maiolini
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants