IBRtools: An R package for calculating integrated biomarker indexes

Area of Science:

• Environmental toxicology
• Bioinformatics
• Statistical modeling

Background:

• Multibiomarker studies are crucial for detecting early environmental degradation.
• Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) and IBRv2 are key indexes for assessing biomarker responses.
• Existing methods can be complex for comprehensive biomarker analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the R package IBRtools for calculating IBR and IBRv2 indexes.
• Provide a user-friendly tool for standardized biomarker data analysis.
• Facilitate the assessment of environmental degradation using multiple biomarkers.

Main Methods:

• The IBRtools package implements algorithms for IBR and IBRv2 calculations.
• Includes functions for index standardization and radar chart creation.
• Offers example datasets and a workflow for practical application.

Main Results:

• The IBRtools package enables simultaneous calculation of IBR and IBRv2.
• Provides standardized index values and visualization tools.
• Demonstrates ease of use for both small and large datasets.

Conclusions:

• IBRtools offers a streamlined approach to analyzing multibiomarker data in R.
• Enhances the accessibility and efficiency of environmental degradation assessment.
• Empowers researchers to utilize IBR and IBRv2 effectively for ecological monitoring.