2016: Toxicological Assessment of Hydraulic Fracturing Wastewater Treatment
Reported health and environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing wastewater have raised widespread public concerns in the Marcellus shale region and beyond. This study will be the first to assess current wastewater treatment practices and the toxicological effects of exposure to “fracking” wastewater. With the help of zebrafish, which have an endocrine system similar to ours, the team will test untreated and treated water samples from facilities that process hydraulic fracturing wastewater. Tracking the tiny fishes’ molecular responses and reproductive success will reveal how hydraulic fracturing chemicals affect human and ecosystem health and point to the best procedures for treating wastewater before releasing it back into the environment.
Investigators: Motoko Mukai, Cornell Food Science; Elena Craft, EDF Senior Health Scientist; Dan Mueller, EDF Oil and Gas Team Director