Report of the Working Group on the Katowice Administrative District, Poland: A Review of Research Done to Date, and Recommendations for Future Research

The Katowice Administrative District (KAD) is the oldest and largest industrial region in Poland, and the air, soil and water has been heavily contaminated with many pollutants from factories in the area. Pollutants of major concern are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), other organic compounds, and heavy metals. There is also concern that other, not yet identified, compounds might be having effects on biota. Biomarkers have been used with some success in the KAD to document the effects of pollutants. This chapter provides a brief review of the biomarker research on invertebrate and vertebrate species that has been carried out in the KAD, and makes recommendations for enhancing the use of biomarkers for future environmental monitoring programs.