ABC News: How environmental disasters affect ecosystems
Fish kills are an indicator of poor water quality, UC biologist says
ABC News turned to a University of Cincinnati biologist to explain what environmental damage a Feb. 3 train derailment caused in East Palestine, Ohio.
The Norfolk Southern train spilled chemicals such as vinyl chloride into creeks feeding the Ohio River. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said the spill killed tens of thousands of fish, salamanders, crayfish and other aquatic organisms.
This is significant because Ohio uses the fish community as an overall indicator of water quality, a UC biologist told ABC News.
"Usually, you can use the community of fish as an indication of what the water quality is at any given time," said Michael Booth, an assistant professor in UC's College of Arts and Sciences.
Booth is taking part in an unrelated stream-restoration demonstration project in Cincinnati to improve habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
Ohio officials use fish as an indicator of water quality because they live in it so they are exposed to any contaminants at a much higher rate, Booth said.
"If you have a mass die-off, that's a pretty good indication you shouldn't be making contact with that water," he told ABC News.
Booth told ABC News that environmental and health officials will need to monitor the creeks for years to determine if fish populations rebound and what effect the spill had on sediment and groundwater.
Companies that rely on the Ohio River for drinking water as far away as Cincinnati briefly closed intakes as a precaution to prevent contamination from reaching customers.
Featured image at top: The Cincinnati skyline is reflected in the Ohio River. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.