in the last few weeks residents have noticed an increasingly large num
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Question
In the last few weeks, residents have noticed an increasingly large number of dead fish
washed up on to the beach. The area is routinely used for a variety of recreational activities
including swimming, surfing, boating, and fishing. The local community is concerned about
potential toxins in the water, especially since this could affect their health and the local
tourism industry.
In an effort to investigate this further, you have been hired to research this issue and
present your findings at the next city council meeting. Specifically, council members have
asked you to identify the toxin/hazardous chemical present in the water. Once you've
identified the responsible agent, they would like to know what specific impact this has on
aquatic organisms and why the fish have died. They also want to know how their own
health could be impacted. You will be preparing several written materials, along with a
presentation that you will deliver to the committee. Note: You do not have to actually
present to your city council; this is just the scenario for this assignment.
Project Objectives
You will need to communicate the following knowledge you've gained throughout the
course:
Describe chemical structures and identify key functional groups.
Explain the ways in which molecules interact with each other.
Describe the role of eukaryotic organelles and how they relate to the overall functioning of
the organism.
Explain how energy is stored and utilized by cells.
Describe the role of enzymes and inhibitors in controlling metabolic reactions.
To accomplish this, you should:
Identify and investigate one toxic chemical that can result in the fish deaths that are being
observed.
Include the chemical structure of the toxin, and identify specific functional groups that may
be involved in its mode of action.
Explain where this chemical typically comes from and/or is used.
Hypothesize about how the chemical is likely entering the organism and/or cells.
Identify the specific impact that the identified chemical has on organisms, specifically fish
and humans.
Identify the specific organs and/or tissues impacted by the toxin.
Identify the cellular location/organelle that is impacted.
Identify and characterize the metabolic process that is specifically impaired.
This should include the identification of an enzyme or potential binding site/target that the
toxin is interacting with.
Provide reasonable explanations for what might have caused this problem. Please provide
citations