Troubled Waters: The impact of water polluting chemicals on fish populations

Decades of research have proved that potent synthetic hormones released into the world’s water supplies have adverse effects on aquatic life. Oestrogens in sewage effluents, notably ethinyloestradiol (EE2) – an active ingredient in

the contraceptive pill – are known to trigger the development of female characteristics in male fish, which decreases fertility and increases the risk of population-level harm.

This paper, ​‘Troubled Waters’ emanates from a workshop by IFM, EA and Exeter and Brunel Universities in November 2013.