By Karen Kidd For the first time, the popular antibacterial agent triclosan is found in the blood of a marine mammal. A bacteria-killing chemical widely used in an array of consumer products has made its way down kitchen and bathroom sinks and into dolphins living in US coastal waters. Researchers report for the first time that a marine mammal – the bottlenose dolphin – is accumulating triclosan from water bodies where treated sewage is released. The study examined animals from rivers, an estuary, a harbor and a lagoon in South Carolina and Florida. Triclosan is a common additive in soaps, deodorants, toothpastes and other personal care products that is included to help control bacteria and their related illnesses. It is also put into consumer products like socks, cutting boards and garbage bags to curb the growth of bacteria. The antibacterial enters wastewater mainly from home sinks. Even though most (up to 95 percent) of it is removed when these waters are treated, it is one of the most commonly found contaminants in rivers and estuaries downstream of treated water outfalls. Triclosan can persist in waterways, affect natural communities of bacteria and algae, and also concentrate in fish and other aquatic organisms. It has also been found in the urine, breast milk and blood of humans. …
Antibacterial found in dolphins. via Apocadocs
