The teacher and student are conducting studies on the water quality of the Androscoggin.

LEWISTON – A science professor and a student from the natural and applied sciences program at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College are conducting research on water quality in the Androscoggin River.

Dr. Blake Whitaker and graduating senior Kim Chamberland have been studying the Androscoggin (along with the Kennebec and the Penobscot) sampling fish and looking for levels of genetic damage. Their results for the Androscoggin River for the past two years have shown significant genetic damage in small mouth bass.”We have found a strong correlation between the level of increasing genetic damage seen and increasing levels of PCB and dioxin levels in the river,” said Chamberland.

She added that they are particularly interested in doing this study because they are seeing many bass thriving in these rivers despite the presence of dioxin and PCBs. “We wonder whether these fish have been able to evolve so that they are able to withstand these toxins. “If so, there should be changes in their DNA … changes that could be significant enough to cause certain groups of fish to actually become separate populations.”

This summer’s research by Whitaker and Chamberland will include using a molecular biology technique called Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism to assess whether or not separate populations have developed along the river as a result of selective pressure due to the presence of environmental toxins. AFLP is a type of DNA fingerprinting that allows one to determine whether individuals are members of a particular population by comparing banding patterns produced from DNA that has been run out on a gel. “We are interested in doing this study in particular because we know dioxin and PCBs are toxic yet we are seeing many bass thriving in these rivers,” added Whitaker.