![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
You are in: UK | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
Sunday, 17 March, 2002, 03:06 GMT
River 'pollution' sparks fertility fears
![]() Chemical could be flushed via sewage works into rivers
Chemicals blamed for changing the sex of male fish could affect human fertility, according to scientists in the UK.
A five-year study by the Environment Agency to be published later this month suggests that half the male fish in lowland English rivers are developing female characteristics because of pollution.
They fear the chemical could contaminate drinking water - one third of which is taken from rivers. The situation has been revealed in a joint investigation by the BBC's Country File programme and the Independent on Sunday newspaper. But the water industry and the Environment Agency strongly deny any threat to human health and say no such chemicals have been found in drinking water. 'Exquisitely potent' Sperm counts have been falling in Britain for the last 50 years.
Just under half of the male fish had developed eggs in their testes or female reproductive ducts. One tenth were sterile and another quarter were producing damaged sperm, which appeared to be irreversible when put in clean water. Previous studies showed a wide range of industrial chemicals were changing the sex of the fish. But the latest research suggests that the main culprit is a synthetic oestrogen called ethanol oestriadol, present in the contraceptive pill. Professor Charles Taylor, from Exeter University, who is working on new technology for filtering water, warned the chemicals were "so exquisitely potent" that even tiny amounts, such as one part per billion, could feminise the fish. "Some of the concentrations which we are seeing affecting fish are below the detection limit which is presently in place for testing our drinking water. "So we cannot be sure that some of the compounds, albeit at very low concentrations, aren't getting into our drinking water."
She said: "The issue is not just about fish. Everything that we eat, put on our skin, throw down the drain, ends up in the sewage treatment works and ultimately in the river. "So one could argue that we are actually living in a sea of oestrogen, a chemical cocktail, and therefore I think there are very real reasons to be worried about whether male reproductive health could also be affected in the same way that fish reproductive health is affected." If that was the case, water companies could be forced to invest hundreds of millions of pounds on new sewage works. |
![]() |
See also:
![]() Internet links:
![]() The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top UK stories now:
![]() ![]() Links to more UK stories are at the foot of the page.
![]() |
![]() |
Links to more UK stories
|
![]() |
![]() |
^^ Back to top News Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | In Depth | AudioVideo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To BBC Sport>> | To BBC Weather>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |