[Pharmwaste] New Haven CT article

[Ronald Ney]

One should also consider biofilms containing phosphates, nitrates,
nitrites and other chemicals which algae can feed off.

“What is a stream biofilm?
A stream biofilm is the layer of greenish-brown slime that is found on
rocks, plants and other surfaces in a stream. This layer is composed
of bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa and other microscopic organisms in
a complex polymer linked assemblage.
Stream biofilms play key roles in primary production, cycling of
nutrients, water quality, suspended solid removal and energy flow to
higher trophic levels. They constitute a major component of the stream
ecosystem and must be better understood to facilitate successful
stream restoration or rehabilitation.”

“Pesticides, plasticizers, pharmaceuticals and other
hormone-disrupting chemicals soak into the slime that coats rocks at
the bottom of lakes and streams, found a new study. Fish and aquatic
insects then feed on those contaminated slimes, also known as
biofilms.”


By Ronald E. Ney, Jr., Ph.D.