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Clean Isn’t Clean — How Treated Wastewater Affects Fish
How the physiology and behavior of fathead minnows changes when surrounded by treated wastewater
Each time I turn on the tap to fill my bottle, I feel grateful to live in a place where clean water is readily available. I’m very aware that not everyone can get clean water this easily. Also, water pollution is in our urbanized world an issue that requires attention constantly. This is because wastewater can come from many homes, companies, and factories. This wastewater can contain all kinds of pollution and contamination, such as viruses, excess nutrients, chemicals, radioactive material, and heat.
These contaminants can have all kinds of consequences on aquatic animals, as small amounts surround them all the time. For example, in a previous article, I explained how wastewater can make fish go big. Because of the negative consequences of contaminants, wastewater treatment facilities have been built in many parts of the world.
Where I live, these facilities are common to remove pollutants and contaminants from the incoming wastewater. Unfortunately, these facilities are not always able to remove all (types of) pollutants and contaminants. For example, metals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents, and tiny plastic particles…
