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Smallmouth in the Potomac River
This has been an issue for years; back in 2002, the USGS found sex-change fish in the Potomac River. The sources of these endocrine disruptors can be flame retardants, soap, cleaners, deodorants or antiperspirants, fungicides, pesticides and many other commonly used chemicals.
From this article:
The fish found are males that are displaying premature egg cells, resulting in what is called an 'intersex' fish. Up to 79% of fish examined have had these sexual abnormalities; caused by an overabundance of estrogen.
Our 'chemical society' has only itself to blame for this. Estrogen is used in many places--from Birth Control Pills to Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopausal women. These chemicals are not removed in then normal Wastewater Treatment process; so they are released into the water. Our drinking water treatment also does nothing to take care of these chemicals because the process focuses only on removing certain biological hazards and turbidity.
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