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Major Contaminants in Wisconsin Fish

Major Contaminants in Wisconsin Fish. Kodey Feiner Ariana Radke Trista Payne. Two Major Contaminants. PCB Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls Mercury (Hg). PCB. Man-made substances used to manufacture electrical transformers, carbonless papers, cutting oils, and hydraulic fluids

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Major Contaminants in Wisconsin Fish

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  1. Major Contaminants in Wisconsin Fish Kodey Feiner Ariana Radke Trista Payne

  2. Two Major Contaminants • PCB • Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls • Mercury (Hg)

  3. PCB • Man-made substances used to manufacture electrical transformers, carbonless papers, cutting oils, and hydraulic fluids • Banned in the US in 1977 • Slow to break down in the environment

  4. PCB cont. • Mostly in Great Lakes and rivers that had high industrial use • PCB is absorbed into fat of the fish • Amount of PCB found in fish depends on species, age, size, fat content, and diet • Larger and older fish will contain more PCB • Fatty fish like carp or catfish will contain more PCB

  5. PCB – Effect on Human Health • Women of child bearing age and children under 15 are at higher risk for: • Lower birth weights • Delays in physical development and learning • PCBs may affect reproductive function and the immune system • Also associated with cancer risk

  6. Mercury (Hg) • Naturally in the environment • Released into the air when rocks erode,volcanoes erupt and soils decompose • Released into the air when power plants burn coal and incinerators burn mercury-containing waste • Airborne mercury enters lakes and rivers by means of rain, snow and runoff.

  7. Mercury cont. • Found everywhere • Lakes and wetland areas contain bacteria which changes the mercury into a form that is more easily absorbed by fish • Found in walleye, and other large, predatory fish • Fish absorb the Hg from water passing over their gills

  8. Hg – Effect on Human Health • Fetuses and children under 15 are most sensitive • Poses a short term health risk to those who eat fish frequently • Human body can eliminate Hg, so you must space out time in between eating these fish. • Hg affects nervous system • Damages to developing brains and ability to learn, as well as behaviour.

  9. Ways to Avoid (reduce) Eating Contaminated Fish • Use following advisory • Determine the fish species that you’ve caught. • Measure your fish from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. • Determine the eating advice for the fish from the following table.

  10. Questions?

  11. References • http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/fish/pages/consumption/choosewisely05.pdf • www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/fish/

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