Upendra Nongthomba, Professor in the Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics (MRDG) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), would cherish going to the backwaters of the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam and having fried fish on the bank of Cauvery river. But in recent times, he has been noticing physical deformities in some of the fish and began to wonder whether it has something to do with the quality of water.
A new study led by Prof. Nongthomba, published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, reveals that pollutants like microplastics may be causing growth defects in fish, including skeletal deformities, in the Cauvery river.
“Water is essential for everyone, including animals and plants. When it is polluted, it is capable of causing diseases, including cancer,” said Abass Toba Anifowoshe, a PhD student in Prof. Nongthomba’s lab, and the first author of the study.
