To assess the risks to human health and ecosystems from an enhanced UV-B radiation, accurate and reliable UV monitoring systems
are required that weights the spectral irradiance according to the biological responses under consideration. Biological dosimetry
meets these requirements by directly weighting the incident UV components of sunlight in relation to the biological effectiveness
of the different wavelengths and to potential interactions between them. Bacteria, viruses and biomolecules have been developed
as biological dosimeters. Their responses to environmental UV radiation, indicated as inactivation, mutagenesis or photochemical
injury, reflect the UV sensitivity of DNA.
For assessing the applicability of a biological UV dosimeter, photobiological as well as radiometric criteria have to be met.
If radiometrically properly characterized, there is a broad scope of applications of biological UV dosimeters, which include
the determination of (i) long-term trends of biologically effective solar radiation; (ii) the contribution of the UV-B range
to the BED; (iii) the sensitivity of the biologically effective solar irradiance to ozone; (iii) vertical attenuation coefficient
of biologically effective solar irradiance in natural waters; (iv) UV tolerance and protection mechanisms; (v) the individual
UV exposure of specific professional groups.