ISDP 2014 Abstracts

In January 2014, an industrial storage tank containing multiple coal processing chemicals ruptured and spilled approximately 37,850 liters of Crude MCHM and polyglycol ethers into the Elk River in West Virginia. This environmental disaster polluted drinking water for more than 300,000 residents, many of whom were pregnant women, infants, and children. These substances cause eye/skin irritation and have been linked to kidney damage and hemoglobin anomalies in rats and humans. What is presently unknown is whether these substances affect physiological, neurological, and behavioral development in young organisms. We examined the effects of tripropylene glycol methyl ether (TPGME, one isomer of polyglycol ethers) and PPh3 (a substance chemically similar to Crude MCHM) on early physiological development and later behavioral, motor, and social development in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish provide an excellent model for toxicology studies, as they develop within transparent eggs that provide a clear “window” into embryological development. They are used extensively throughout the biological, biochemical, and developmental sciences to study neurological and behavioral systems, and have recently shown promise as practical screens for chemical toxicology studies. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 2%, 5%, or 10% solutions of either TPGME or PPh3 during the embryonic stage (days post-fertilization, dpf: 1–5), a period analogous to the prenatal period in human development. Results showed that both of these substances significantly compromise developmental physiology in embryonic zebrafish when compared to controls. Preliminary tests also reveal that these substances appear to negatively affect developing motor, behavioral, and social systems.