Re: NANFA-L-- Killifish as oil cleanup agents

Bob Bock (bockhouse-in-earthlink.net)
Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:26:01 -0500

Hi Lee. A few scientists have conducted research on mummichog's ability to
withstand pollution. One was a lady from Rutgers University in Newark (My
alma mater, by the way)--her name escapes me-in-the moment. She found that
mummichog developed mechanisms to help withstand the effects of heavy
metals. Another group working in the James River found that mummichog had
developed enhanced detoxification pathways near a creosote plant (one of
the most polluted areas of the country, and a superfund site.)

Not all mummichogs have these mechanisms. It appears that mummichog are
fairly diverse, genetically speaking. When individual populations come in
contact with polluted sites, those who are a little more resistant to the
pollution problem survive, leaving descendants who are more able to
survive, and so on, through time.

> [Original Message]
> From: <EELReprah-in-aol.com>
> To: <nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org>
> Date: 11/29/2005 10:37:33 AM
> Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Killifish as oil cleanup agents
>
> In a message dated 11/28/05 2:15:50 PM, EELReprah-in-aol.com writes:
>
> << was surprised to read in today's Philadelphia Inquirer that
Mummichogs
> effectively remove oil droplets by oxidizing them and that Mummichog eggs
are
> not
> harmfully affected by oil contamination. >>
>
> A little on line research has turned up some related reports about the
> ability of Fundulus heteroclitus to become tolerant of oxidized petroleum
residues.
> Not really that they clean up the environment. Aquatic Toxicology 65
(2003)
> 377-395
>
> Does anyone have more relevant references? It seems that this may be
another
> case of journalistic license.
>
> Lee Harper
> Media, PA
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