Contamination has become a very serious problem. Take
PCB's for example.
PCB's are industrial chemicals used in electrical equipment, hydraulic
fluid and
carbonless carbon paper. Consumer Reports found PCB's in 43% of salmon,
50% whitefish and 25% swordfish. When you eat fish contaminated with
PCB's
the chemical accumulates in your body and stays there. It is linked to
cancer and
spells big trouble for a developing fetus. Likewise, mercury is now
found in 90%
of swordfish. A typical can of tuna contains about 15 micrograms of
mercury.
How do fish get so contaminated? As water drains from
pesticide-covered farm
fields, city sewers, or factories, pollutants are escorted into the
chemical
cornucopia of rivers, streams, and oceans. Contaminants are absorbed by
fish
as water passes over their gills. And the contaminants in smaller fish
become
concentrated in larger fish who eat them.
Go on to The Miracle
of Life
Return to 7 February 1999 Issue
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