Over The Horizon

Royal Toxicology Research

A 1992 visit to Christchurch by Thailand's Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol, a professor of organic chemistry, has led to a scientific collaboration in the toxicology of water pollution funded by New Zealand's Asia 2000 Foundation. Exchanges between Lincoln University and Chulabhorn Research Institute in Thailand have been formalised with the signing of an agreement between the two organisations.

"Water pollution from chemicals has attracted a great deal of public interest in the past two decades," says toxicologist Dr Ravi Gooneratne. "One of the current research interests at Lincoln University is the study of biochemical responses in fish as sensitive "biomarkers" or indicators of toxicity in water and this is the basis of the collaboration with Thailand's Chulabhorn Research Institute."

Hundreds of different pollutants are discharged into waterways but the joint project will confine itself to developing biomarkers for selected major classes of water pollutants -- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals.

The presence and levels of such pollutants will be measured through the chemical analysis of enzymes extracted from fish exposed to such chemicals in suspect waterways.

It is hoped that the project will ultimately provide direction for environmental monitoring authorities to set up programmes to identify which waterways need to be better managed, protected and rehabilitated in the two countries.

Establishing a "fish-based" environmental monitoring and management procedure would improve environmental health and reduce risk to humans using such waterways, says Gooneratne.

The project, entitled Fish Enzymes as Biomarkers of Water Pollution is the first research project for Lincoln University to be funded by the Asia 2000 Foundation and initially the backing is for a three-year period, lasting until 1999.