What’s In The Potomac River?
July 22nd, 2009 · 1 Comment · Posted in Blog
There's something in the water besides fish
Ever wonder why you never see anyone swimming in the river that runs through our nation’s capitol?
This may be one reason: Scientists are puzzling over why so many of the fish in thePotomac can’t decide which sex they are. More than 80 percent of male smallmouth bass sampled in recent years have female eggs in their testes.
Researchers in a recent study believe the “intersex” issue with fish has something to do with a brew of chemicals from waste water treatment plants and agricultural runoff from the surrounding watershed. A precise agent has not been identified. But pesticides and hormone-disrupting chemicals were found in every location where the Potomac and its tributaries were tested.
So if the water’s not safe to swim in, what about eating those fish? Caught anything lately?
Ugh. Someone just told me MD is 2d in the nation in cancer rates (haven’t checked) and their theory is the polluted water –> polluted fish and crabs. Ugh again.
Why doesn’t anyone (i.e., our representatives) step up to tackle this problem? This is just as important as – and impacts on – something like healthcare.