Biological indicators of water quality
Chimera is one of the consulting firms with the most experience in the design, management and operation of biological water quality control.
Thanks to Cimera consisting of a group of people with strong technical and scientific backgrounds in biological indicators of quality and pollution, we can provide plenty of experience in sampling in any inland water or coastal environment, as well as the subsequent taxonomic determination and interpretation of results.
Procedures for field work are always updated and adapted to legal protocols in each country or region in which we find ourselves, specific material and equipment is provided for the rapid and safe execution of sampling work in rivers, lakes, lagoons and reservoirs.
Among the activities to perform for the correct exploitation of a Biological Control Network, are the following:
- Macro-Invertebrate Sampling: Sampling of Macro Invertebrates will be performed in accordance with current sampling protocols for each type of water mass, taking into account the type of sample being requested: quantitative, semi-quantitative or qualitative.
- Benthic diatome sampling: The sampling procedure varies according to the type of current (fast or slow), of the quantity of aquatic vegetation and the existence or not of natural substrates, having three different sampling methods: sampling on natural mobile surfaces, sampling on artificial vertical surfaces and on introduced artificial surfaces.
- Macrophyte sampling: A method of sampling is performed which enables a list to be obtained of the most important species of the water mass and an approximate estimate of abundance, following the separated protocols for loctic water and lentic water.
- Phytoplankton and zooplankton sampling: Phytoplankton and zooplankton sampling in lentic water masses will be performed by the use of drift nets from boats (qualitative sampling), or by taking an integrated hydrographic bottle sample (quantative sampling). In addition, for the analytical determination of clorophylls, filtration of a quantity of the sample is carried out, and the filter is stored in a solution until its subsequent analysis in the laboratory.
- Ichthyofauna sampling: The electronic fishing or trammel method is carried out (only in lentic deepwater) which estimates the specific composition and abundance of ichthyofauna in a water mass.
The analysis and taxonomic determination of each one of the biological indicators for water quality expressed above can be consulted in the paragraph: Aquatic organisms Laboratory.