Mysterious substance in Lake Michigan baffles beachgoers, scientists as source remains unknown

A strange substance discovered last month just off the southern shore of Lake Michigan has beachgoers and scientists alike wondering how it found itself in the water.

Officials first heard of an "oily substance" during the middle of June after swimmers at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore reported the material on their bodies, said Dan Goldblatt, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The Chicago Tribune reports the substance included D-gluconic acid, which is used to clean metals, and tricalcium orthophosphate, an additive found in food and fertilizers.

... Luckily for swimmers and wildlife, there's no indication the substance is toxic, Goldblatt said. No one has reported any injuries or illnesses.

mlive

08 Jul 2013

A Krietz

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