Deformed embryos

1990/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Zoologia
• Ekologia

Researchers at the West German Fisheries Research Institute have stated that the embryos of some fish species in the North Sea have a high degree of deformation. Half of the liba embryos studied in the last three years and 5-20% of the embryos of lingerie, stick and saucer presented lethal deformations.

The highest levels of deformation are found in the Helgoland Gulf of Germany. Waste from the manufacture of titanium oxide has been deposited in the last twenty years. Scientists do not know the previous degree of deformation, but most embryos have chromosomal deformations, so they have claimed chemical contamination.

Organochlorine compounds used as pesticides are also suspected. In fact, they have been found accumulated in the fat and liver of fish and the passage to seeds and eggs would not be surprising.

It is not yet possible to say what effect this has on the fish stock, since many of them do it outside the region with the highest degree of deformation.