Bivalves constitute one of the largest groups, in terms of biomass, of filter-feeding organisms in many freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater bivalves have been used in an increasingly diverse array of ecotoxicological applications over the past 30 years. Among the four families of freshwater bivalves, there are sharply differing reasons for their use in ecotoxicological research. The Corbiculidae, Dreissenidae and, to a lesser extent, the Sphaeriidae, have fulfilled the traditional role of ecotoxicological research organisms
