Adverse effects of 1,4-dioxane and other VOCs modeled in zebrafish

Session: Furthering Interdisciplinary Urban Groundwater Quality and Urban Sustainability Research

Camille Akemann, Wayne State University - Pharmacology, [email protected]

Abstract

Since the 1960s a plume of 1,4-dioxane has been spreading through the groundwater underneath Ann Arbor, MI. Though not currently affecting the drinking water of most Ann Arbor residents, the plume is creeping closer to the Huron River, the source of Ann Arbor’s drinking water. The current knowledge of 1,4-dioxane’s effects on humans and other organisms is not complete, but it is known to cause liver and kidney damage and is potentially carcinogenic. Long-term or developmental exposure effects are not yet characterized, and it is unknown if there are transgenerational or reproductive effects. Additionally, there have not been any studies of 1,4-dioxane on any type of fish. Zebrafish are an NIH-approved human model organism because of the genetic similarities between zebrafish and humans. Studying the effects of 1,4-dioxane on zebrafish can also provide information on possible effects on local aquatic life if the plume were to reach the Huron River. This study will examine the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of 1,4-dioxane using a zebrafish model. Effects of developmental acute, long-term, and transgenerational exposure will be analyzed through multiple -omic studies such as transcriptomics and proteomics, as well as through morphologic, behavioral, and reproductive analysis. These data will help fill