Since the 1990s, the Department of Water Protection  has conducted research on the bioindicative role of Unio mussels. Initially, the surveys supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency grant, focused on the sensitivity of the swan mussel Anodonta cygnea to various pollutants occurring in surface waters. This research resulted in the implementation of a system for the detection of incidental water pollution in the Poznań waterworks – Aquanet.  Currently, under the supervision of professor Piotr Klimaszyk, studies on the sensitivity of several species of Unio mussels to new types of pollutants found in water e.g. pharmaceuticals are being conducted.  The use of bivalves in water quality monitoring and research carried out at the Department of Water Protection is mentioned in an article published in the February issue of The Economist, one of the most widely read business journals.