A portable automated biomonitoring system for monitoring water quality includes
an exposure chamber for housing an aquatic organism and a water inlet for directing
water to the exposure chamber. The aquatic organism has ventilatory behavior and
body movement sensitive to water quality. Electrodes sense electrical signals produced
by the organism during its ventilatory behavior and body movement, and a controller
responsive to signals from the electrodes determines a plurality of ventilatory
parameters based on the signals. The ventilatory parameters are compared with corresponding
thresholds to determine when the water to which the organism is exposed has caused
physiological stress to the organism. The water being evaluated may be recirculated
through the system for further analysis.