Michigan, is an absolutely gorgeous state and as an Ohio State football fan I would never give that state a compliment unless it were true. Michigan is surrounded by four out of the five Great Lakes: Huron, Michigan, Superior, and Erie. Water health is an ongoing issue in this state, with the Flint crisis being the most famous. However, with updated EPA regulations and more rigorous testing for lead in drinking water more and more cities in Michigan as well as in Ohio could be looking at dangerous lead levels that previously went unnoticed.
Now most of us know how dangerous high lead levels are for humans. But for those of us that don’t the CDC states that common ailments that occur with high lead exposure include anemia, weakness, and both kidney and brain damage. But what does lead exposure mean for fish that spend 100% of their life swimming in high levels of lead?
Greater concentrations of lead in water and bottom substrate can be dangerous for fish. Water with higher concentrations of lead can lead to acute lead toxicity. Acute lead toxicity damages the gill epithelium which is the thin tissue on the outside of gills that allow fish to breather underwater. Once the gill epithelium is affected this causes death by suffocation. Additionally, high lead levels in water changes the chemical makeup of their blood. This then leads to damage to the kidneys, adrenal glands, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Furthermore, a fish’s nervous system can be seriously damaged with too much lead exposure.
Excess amounts of lead in water is not only a humanitarian crisis but an environmental crisis as well. More attention needs to be focused on the lead crisis that is currently happening.
https://www.fao.org/3/t1623e/T1623E03.htm