Toxins from fossil fuels are causing a worrying number of deformities in the Island’s pond life according to recent research.

A study by the Bermuda Amphibian Project, led by principal investigator Jamie Bacon, found deformities in a quarter of all toads and reproductive issues in more than 30 per cent of toads, terrapins and killifish.

Speaking to the Hamilton Rotary Club yesterday, Dr Bacon said that studies had identified petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediment of local ponds at levels known to cause cancer and other medical issues in pond life. They also discovered heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc.

The toxins are believed to come from the use of fossil fuels on the Island or runoff from roads.

Dr Bacon said the research found that 26 per cent of adult toads and 20 per cent of toadlets were suffering some form of limb or facial deformity — roughly ten times the normal rate — while between 15 and 81 per cent of killifish were found with some degree of deformity.

“There are hunchbacks, there are a bunch of missing vertebrae, jaw deformities, too much cartilage, too little cartilage,” she said. “And these are the survivors.”

Similarly 37 per cent of toads and 44 per cent of terrapins were found to have liver pathologies, suggesting that they had been consuming fish and beetles which contained high levels of metals and toxic hydrocarbons.

Around a third of fish, terrapins and toads meanwhile showed problems with the development of reproduction organs.

“We found functional or complete extra testes in more than 30 per cent of toads, terrapins and killifish at 12 different sites,” Dr Bacon said. “The fact that we’ve seen the same effects in three classes of vertebrates is very, very significant.”

She said that more significantly, the research had showed signs of “very significant” hormone disruptions in the animals, causing a decrease in reproduction and females to show male secondary sex characteristics.

“Ours if one of the strongest if not the strongest cases of environmental endocrine disruption,” she said. “The intensity of the responses induced are on the same scale as the most significant cases globally. This is a very dubious distinction for Bermuda to have.”

Dr Bacon said all of the issues reported can be linked to the toxic metals and hydrocarbons in the sediment, and in turn to the use of fossil fuels.

However she said that efforts are under way to test several strategies to address the issue, with the support of the Global HSBC Water Programme.

Last year, she said researchers attempted two of the strategies at Cloverdale Pond by both aerating the sediment and installing OpFlex foam in nearby slipways. She explained that OpFlex foam absorbs many forms of hydrocarbons, while aerating the sediment was hoped to help hydrocarbon-eating bacteria species already found in the ponds.

Already, the tests have shown positive results, with a 60 to 71 per cent reduction of PAHs recorded as of March, while the OpFlex has proven to be 85 per cent effective in removing PAHs in the runoff from the roads.

Despite the successes, she said testing must continue to ensure the strategies have their desired effect.

Dr Bacon added that the only way to fully solve the problem is to address the root cause — the use of fossil fuels in Bermuda.

“Our wildlife is giving us a clear warning that we need to reduce fossil fuel consumption for their sakes and ours,” she said.

“We cannot do remediation for the whole Island, so I think we need to get creative in how we can reduce vehicle emissions.”