Funding Program:
Contaminant Biology
Statement of Problem: Lake Mead serves as the principle source of water for the city of Las Vegas and is also important in recreation. The Lake supports several endangered species of fish and is obviously linked to terrestrial organisms as well. Lake Mead receives treated sewage from the city of Los Vegas and concentrations of chemicals that are potential endocrine disruptors are increasing in the lake posing potential hazard to the biota and the water supply. For this reason it is important to determine the overall health of the Lake and to understand the potential risks posed by chemical inputs to the system.
Objectives: A risk analysis will be conducted to determine the likelihood of impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals through the food chain of aquatic biota and the terrestrial organisms that depend on this ecosystem. The risk analysis will be based on literature, and will heavily emphasize chemical and physiological data collected in other aspects of the larger project.