Sex-changing chemicals found in Potomac River

[NashVegas]

Chemicals known to change the sexual characteristics of fish and other animals have been found in West Virginia tributaries of the Potomac River, which runs through Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday.

An investigation into fish that had both male and female characteristics turned up a range of chemicals including pesticides, flame retardants, and personal-care products, the USGS said.

...

"All samples contained detectable levels of at least one known endocrine-disrupting compound, including samples from fish without intersex."

Endocrine disrupters affect the animals' hormone systems. They can cause birth defects and sexual abnormalities called intersex in species ranging from frogs to alligators and perhaps humans as well.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticnews&storyID=2007-01-18T042537Z_01_N17386483_RTRUKOC_0_US-ENVIRONMENT-POTOMAC.xml&WTmodLoc=USNewsHome_R1_domesticnews-1

[demnan]

1. This has been going on for some time

They even found some fish with characteristics of both sexes. It's really scary isn't, especially when its your source of drinking water.

Think I'll get a bottle of water today . . .

[NashVegas]

4. Isn't Dow Chemicals In That Area?

Or is it DuPont?

[MountainLaurel]

15. A different part of WV

That isn't in the Potomac watershed.

The problem here is caused by runoff from the industrial chicken farms in the mountains.

[meganmonkey]

5. A bottle of water

Keep in mind that the factory making that plastic bottle is probably contributing to the water pollution as well, with their waste water.

:shrug:

[One_Life_To_Give]

10. Worry about the water contained in plastic bottles

Oestrogens are in water contained in plastic bottles.

[Botany]

2. So that explains Ann Coulter's adam's apple

but is she/he going from man to women or women to man?

[demnan]

8. Naw

she lives in New York!

[Botany]

betya ann has spent time in the rich homes of Potomac MD.

:bounce:

[Botany]

9. betya ann has spent time in the rich homes of Potomac MD.

:bounce:

[jgraz]

13. From what I hear

she's going from man to man to man to man...

[SpiralHawk]

3. So that explains Jeff Gannon's 200+ visits to the George AWOL Bush White House

All we needed was some good science on this....

[devilgrrl]

6. Gee, I thought it was the SOY...

:sarcasm:

[AnneD]

7. Well that explains why....

the only DEM's with balls are the women! :spray:

[donsu]

11. hormone pollution is ongoing in the femization of human men

man breasts one symptom

[jisabi]

12. Estrogen compounds

This isn't anything new, just overlooked.  For years effluents
from industries (ie. paper mills) release compounds similar to
estrogens into the surrounding waters.  It has also been
linked to an increase in the use of the birth control pills,
which residues enter our waste water systems, especially after
large storm events which causes a bypass of water treatment
facilities.  Maybe this whole intersex fish debacle could get
more conservatives involved in the environmental movement,
wouldn't they consider this contrary to family values?

Cheers  

[jasmeel]

14. Welcome to DU jisabi!!!

Tell the conservatives it'll make people mate with themselves!! They'll blow a gasket!

[UpInArms]

16. Welcome to DU, jisabi!

Glad to have you here :hi:

[Shallah Kali]

23. Isn't the right wing blaming soy for stuff like this?

One would think conservatives would be concerned about possible effects on manliness from estrogen mimics and the like but so far I haven't come across anything other than some nitwit saying soy is feminizing men. I remember reading a few years ago in a news of the weird type news section an article saying the average size of American male private parts was reduced. The article had a title something along the lines of 'why your half the man your father was'. I can't help but wonder if there is a link. humans are the top of the food chain so if chemicals are collecting in predators whether fish or polar bears something's got to give.....

[Javaman]

24. Your right!!! it's the soy run off into the waters!!!!

Not only is eating it turning people gay but now the fish we eat will turn us gay!!! Run for the hills!!!!

Sigh. Why was I born during this era. I mean really, at least the Salem witch trials could be blamed on ergot poisoning. What's the repukes excuse?

[newyawker99]

27. Hi jisabi!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. This little tidbit was in the WP on Sunday...

ANIMAL WATCH
Rat Terrier Spayed -- and Neutered
Sunday, January 14, 2007; Page C02


FAIRMONT STREET NW, 1200 block, Dec. 24. Responding to a report of a stray rat terrier that had been sitting on the back porch of a residence for several hours, a Humane Society officer took the animal to the society shelter. The society examined the tricolor dog and determined that it had male and female sex organs. The dog was spayed and neutered before being transferred to a rat terrier rescue group, which provides behavioral training to dogs before they are made available for adoption.

[LiberalEsto]

18. No wonder VP Dick Tater

spends so much time at his undisclosed location.

[Lisa]

22. he's probably been busy growing breasts!

The mental image of Dick Cheney in a D-cup bra ... ewwww.

[LiberalEsto]

26. unspeakable!

:puke:

[mzmolly]

19. They're in the Mississippi as well.

And, in our air and in containers that hold our food, and .....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoestrogen

[TommyO]

20. That explains why there were so many gay men in DC

last weekend! Either that, or Mid-Atlantic Leather.

Now that I've gotten the humor out of the way, we really need to get a handle on the massive pollution that we're inflicting on our environment. The days when we could just dump it are long gone and we need to contain and treat it. Period.

[humus]

21. poor buggers

there's fish in the Potomac?!!

[ileus]

25. They don't call it Chemical Valley for nothing...