Impacts of contaminants on aquatic organisms

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Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to a mixture of chemical contaminants that come from sewage treatment plants, industry and runoff from agricultural fields. These chemicals do not usually kill aquatic organisms directly, but they can affect their ability to reproduce or to thrive in the aquatic environment. Scientists are looking for ways to predict from changes in the body chemistry of fish and other aquatic organisms whether they are being affected by exposure to these chemicals. At Trent University, we will use the state-of-the-art analytical facilities in our Water Quality Centre to look for subtle changes in the metabolism of fish that indicate that they are being affected by mixtures of contaminants. Using both lab and field experiments, we will look at changes in the brain chemistry of fish to see if they are being affected by exposure to the antidepressants and illicit drugs such as cocaine that are being released from municipal sewage treatment plants into rivers and streams. Similarly, we will collect blood samples from fish to see if they are showing evidence of “oxidative stress” as a result of exposure to chemical mixtures. Oxidative stress occurs naturally in cells, but when chemicals overwhelm the ability of cells to deal with this condition, the cells begin to break down and the health of the organism is compromised. Working under my supervision, two Master’s level and two Doctoral level graduate students enrolled in the Environmental and Life Sciences graduate program at Trent University will work on this project.