Exploring the Hawaiian Ala Wai Watershed with Zebrafish.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• The Ala Wai Canal in Waikiki, Honolulu, HI, collects urban runoff, leading to significant water toxicity.
• This toxicity poses risks to marine life and human health.
• The Consortium for Increasing Research and Collaborative Learning Experiences (CIRCLE) facilitated a collaborative study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the toxicological impact of Ala Wai Canal water on zebrafish embryos.
• To identify potential environmental contaminants linked to observed defects.
• To establish a model for distance learning in environmental research.

Main Methods:

• Zebrafish embryos were exposed to varying concentrations of Ala Wai Canal water.
• Developmental and behavioral assays were performed on exposed zebrafish.
• Atlases of developmental outcomes and tables of potential contaminants were created.

Main Results:

• Exposure to Ala Wai Canal water induced developmental and behavioral abnormalities in zebrafish embryos.
• Specific contaminants were correlated with structural defects and stress responses.
• The study demonstrated the utility of zebrafish as a model organism for environmental toxin assessment.

Conclusions:

• Ala Wai Canal water exhibits significant toxicity to aquatic life, exemplified by zebrafish embryo development.
• Urban runoff poses a considerable environmental threat, necessitating further investigation and remediation.
• This project successfully integrated inter-institutional collaboration and distance learning in scientific research.