Fracking chemicals can alter mouse development
Hormone disrupters from hydraulic fracturing fluids affect hearts, genitals
By Beth Mole
DENVER — Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, may tote several hormone-disrupting chemicals that can alter the development of mice, researchers reported March 23 at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Twenty-three chemicals used in fracking fluids can hamper at least one of five hormone signals tested in human cells, the researchers found. When the team gave pregnant mice a cocktail of the chemicals in their drinking water, their male offspring grew up to be overweight and to have heavier hearts compared with mice whose mothers didn’t drink the chemicals. (The researchers are still analyzing the data from female offspring.) Prenatally exposed male mice also had bigger testicles.