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Water contaminated with some of the chemicals found in drinking water and fracking wastewater has been shown to affect hormone levels in mice:
More than 15 million Americans live within a one-mile radius of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) operations. UOGs combine directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," to release natural gas from underground rock. Scientific studies, while ongoing, are still inconclusive on the potential long-term effects fracturing has on human development. Today, researchers at the University of Missouri released a study that is the first of its kind to link exposure to chemicals released during hydraulic fracturing to adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes in mice. Scientists believe that exposure to these chemicals also could pose a threat to human development.
"Researchers have previously found that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) mimic or block hormones — the chemical messengers that regulate respiration, reproduction, metabolism, growth and other biological functions," said Susan C. Nagel, Nagel, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health in the School of Medicine. "Evidence from this study indicates that developmental exposure to fracking and drilling chemicals may pose a threat to fertility in animals and potentially people. Negative outcomes were observed even in mice exposed to the lowest dose of chemicals, which was lower than the concentrations found in groundwater at some locations with past oil and gas wastewater spills."
Researchers mixed 23 oil and gas chemicals in four different concentrations to reflect concentrations ranging from those found in drinking water and groundwater to concentrations found in industry wastewater. The mixtures were added to drinking water given to pregnant mice in the laboratory until they gave birth. The female offspring of the mice that drank the chemical mixtures were compared to female offspring of mice in a control group that were not exposed. Mice exposed to drilling chemicals had lower levels of key hormones related to reproductive health compared to the control group.
Adverse Reproductive and Developmental Health Outcomes Following Prenatal Exposure to a Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Mixture in Female C57Bl/6 Mice (open, DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1242) (DX)
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 30 2016, @04:52PM
It's rare indeed when VLM and DeathMonkey agree on an issue. Perhaps it's a situation that at least merits consideration?
For the record, I have 15 years professional experience in Environmental Compliance and Remediation. I spent 5 years of my life installing one of the first active (e.g. chemical) stormwater filtration systems that removes about a ton per year of heavy metals (mostly lead) from previously uncontrolled stormwater runoff. So I've personally experienced and had a direct impact on the protection of our precious surface waters.
As IT people, when you cringe a bit because of enhance-enhance-rotate-enhance on a security video on a TV show. I cringe a bit when I hear the arguments against fracking.
Sure, there are challenges, but it's the only way forward to reduce pollution and greenhouse gasses in the near term.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 30 2016, @05:45PM
How will fracking reduce pollution and greenhouse gases in the near term?
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 30 2016, @06:31PM
How will fracking reduce pollution and greenhouse gases in the near term?
It already has!
IEA: Thanks to Natural Gas, U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Emissions Fell 2 Percent in 2015 [energyindepth.org]
(Score: 1) by Francis on Tuesday August 30 2016, @11:43PM
Not really, how much would it have gone down if the cost of gas and natural gas hadn't been depressed by the fracking? Or how about a comparison against the situation if the oil companies weren't continually sabotaging efforts at getting off our oil addiction? 2% is a pretty tiny amount for it to drop.