Research Product

This research was initiated to determine the cause of oral papillomas in black bullheads (Ictalurus melas) from the final oxidation pond of the Tuskegee, Alabama, sewage treatment plant. The water in this pond was chlorinated effluent from the sewage treatment plant. The presence of a carcinogenic and mutagenic chemical in the effluent of a sewage treatment plant was indicated by papillomas developing on caged black bullheads, glucuronosyltransferase induction in caged channel catfish, and Ames-test mutagenicity of water extract. Unlike previously studied fish papillomas, virus-like particles were not present in the tumor cells. Although mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals have not been identified in the wastewater, chlorine is implicated as a factor contributing to the induction of the papillomas because the prevalence of papillomas on wild black bullheads exposed to the effluent decreased from 73% to 23% after the chlorination rate was reduced. This report was submitted in fulfillment of Grant No.. CR809336010 by Auburn University under the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report covers the period from 12 October 1981 to 11 October 1983, and work was completed as of 11 October 1983.