Fracturing chemicals found in animals living downstream of wastewater disposal sites

High concentrations of a chemical present in oil and gas wastes were identified in molluscs living downstream of old fracking waste disposal sites.

The freshwater mussels filter the water for food. In doing so, they accumulate substances in their hard shells, thus providing a record of all contaminants entering the water.

Researchers studying these creatures in Pennsylvania have found strontium in their shells, a finding they believe demonstrates the long-term effects that fracking can have on surrounding environments.

After scientists discovered that sewage contaminated water courses with toxic and natural radioactive elements, the Pennsylvania authorities called on the industry to begin recycling its waste in 2011.

However, mussels analyzed by a team at Pennsylvania State University still bore evidence of the hydraulic fracking boom that preceded these restrictions for three years, when 2.9 billion liters of wastewater were dumped into the rivers. the state.

These contaminants did not disappear from the shells after 2011, suggesting that strontium and various toxic contaminants persisted in the environment.

"Freshwater pollution is a major concern for ecological and human health," said Professor David Gillikin, a geologist at Union College and co-author of the study. "It is important to develop ways to retroactively document this pollution in order to shed light on what is happening in our waterways."

Publish their discoveries in the journal Science and technology of the environmentProfessor Gillikin and fellow authors have suggested using animals such as freshwater mussels to monitor contaminant levels and potential leaks.

"Like dark circles, you can count the seasons and years in their shells and have a good idea of ​​the quality and chemical composition of the water for specific periods," said his colleague, Professor Nathaniel Warner , environmental engineer in Pennsylvania. State University.

The team now intends to investigate the soft tissues of these creatures to determine if they contain harmful chemicals that could be transmitted to fish and mammals that feed on them.

With two-thirds of US gas production and half of its oil production coming from fracking, scientists have warned that the industry needs to be cautious in managing these substances.

"The wells are growing, they are using more water, they are producing more wastewater and this water has to go somewhere," said Professor Warner. "Making the right choices about how to handle this water will become vital."

Fracking activities recently started for the first time in seven years in the UK, when oil and gas company Cuadrilla announced that it had begun drilling despite local protests.

Although the country is still very far from the break-up comparable to that seen in the United States, environmental groups have raised concerns about water contamination and experts have acknowledged that the disposal of sewage would be a problem if efforts were scaled up.