Fracking may alter fat cells: Study

Fracking may alter fat cells: Study

A look at chemicals commonly found in fracking wastewater finds sign that they are influencing cell growth.

Chemicals released by fracking may increase the size and amount of fat cells, even at low concentrations often released into the environment, according to a new study released today.


Low concentrations of frack waste triggered robust activity in fat cells

A mouse's fat cells (red) are shown surrounded by a network of blood vessels (green). (Credit: ZEISS Microscopy/flickr)

Researchers at Duke University and University of Missouri exposed cells to 23 chemicals associated with fracking, wastewater and surface water contaminated with wastewater from fracking sites. They found that exposure at both low and high concentrations of the chemicals and water samples led to changes in the fat cells, according to results published today in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

"One of the perhaps surprising things about this is that we actually saw effects diluting the water," said lead author Chris Kassotis, a postdoctoral researcher at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.

The effects at low concentrations were unexpected, but they suggest that at environmentally-relevant levels, fracking chemicals may interfere with how fat cells are regulated.

The changes were comparable to effects of a pharmaceutical known to increase fat cells, Kassotis said.

The experiment produced "pretty high levels of activity," he said, "at low concentrations."

Examining fracking's interplay with endocrine disruption

Pond used for storing fracking water next to townhomes in Texas. (Credit: Jeremy Buckingham/flickr)

The study also looked into underlying mechanisms triggering the cell growth. Approximately half the cells were found with an activated receptor called "PPAR-gamma."

The PPAR-gamma receptor promotes fat cell development. When switched on, dormant fat precursors cells awaken. But given that this only happened in about half the cells, researchers suspect other undetermined underlying causes are at play.

The study was a follow-up to earlier work by Kassotis and others looking at links between fracking and endocrine disruption. In one study, Kassotis exposed pregnant mice to fracking chemicals and found that the offspring had higher weights for the first few weeks of life, prompting a deeper look into fat cell development.

The study published today was a cell study, so there is not a direct link to humans, yet. But the effects on fat cells may be an underlying cause of the increased weights, Kassotis said, and he and others hope to see future research to determine how exposure to chemicals from fracking affect human fat cells.

"We know that the chemicals have negative health impacts," said Susan Nagel, one of the co-authors and associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at University of Missouri. And researchers regularly find those chemicals in fracking wastewater.

"So it is imperative to examine the health impacts in people near fracking operations," she added.

Fat cell activity from fracking shows need to link studies to human health

Kassotis said he sees some relevance to human health, noting that he has conducted both animal and cell studies, looking at fracking chemicals and endocrine disruptors. Many hormone regulators are comparable between rodents and humans, he said.

Still, it is unclear at what concentrations these chemicals could be harmful to humans, he said.

Hence the need for further studies, Nagel said, pointing to the fact that the most "dramatic effects" came from low concentrations, which are in the range that humans could be exposed to. The published study helps researchers look for effects in humans and can help researchers design precise epidemiological studies, she said.

"This is a completely unresearched area of potential impacts on human health, and if we are contributing in any way to metabolic syndrome in the country with this process then that is of utmost importance," she said.

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.
Credit: Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Flickr

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ran on a promise to regulate Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry more stringently. Two years into his term, the Environmental Health Project, a public health advocacy nonprofit focused on fracking, has published a report that assesses the Shapiro administration’s progress.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
An NOAA truck with a weather satellite on the back.

Trump’s government cuts disrupt NOAA forecasts and data collection

President Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce have triggered firings, operational cuts, and email security problems at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Oliver Milman reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
Courtroom with a jury box and judge's bench.
Credit: Pixabay

Trump EPA’s fraud claims stall in court as green bank funding freeze drags on

Federal court documents reveal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump has yet to produce evidence of fraud in a $20 billion climate grant program it moved to freeze earlier this year.

Lisa Friedman and Claire Brown report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Wind turbines in grass field during golden hour.

Texas lawmakers move to restrict growth of wind and solar power

Texas and other Republican-led states are advancing legislation that could slow or block new renewable energy projects, as political momentum shifts back toward fossil fuels.

David Montgomery reports for Stateline.

Keep reading...Show less
Person wearing green jacket with the word Greenpeace on the back.

Greenpeace verdict over pipeline protest defamation could spell problems for environmental activism and speech

A North Dakota jury found Greenpeace defamed pipeline builder Energy Transfer during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, awarding $250 million in defamation damages. What does it mean for environmental activism and free speech?

Karen Zraick reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
A petrochemical plant on the water at nighttime.

Petrochemical industry struggles with overcapacity, rising costs, and shaky green investments

Executives at a Houston conference warned that global overbuilding, slow economic growth, and policy uncertainty are shaking the foundation of the petrochemical industry as it faces pressure to go greener.

Alexander Tullo reports for Chemical & Engineering News.

Keep reading...Show less
The word plastic spelled out in multicolored letters.

Plastic ban in Bangladesh struggles as eco-friendly bags face high costs

Government raids in Dhaka reveal the ongoing failure of Bangladesh’s plastic bag ban, as consumers and businesses continue to rely on cheap, single-use polythene bags.

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla reports for Mongabay.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Agents of Change in Environmental Justice logo

LISTEN: Reflections on the first five years of the Agents of Change program

The leadership team talks about what they’ve learned — and what lies ahead.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.