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Right Blend of Microbes and Plants Can Clean Up Toxic Spills

 

Toxic spills has been plaguing the environment quite some time now. The hazardous combination of chemical material are stubborn to clean and nearly impossible to remove completely. However, a new study in University of Florida may just provide the solution against contaminants of such caliber.

The study came up with two of the likeliest candidates for such large scale cleanups, the loblolly pine and soil-dwelling, methane eating bacteria known as methanotrophs.

Phytoremediation, the practice of planting chemically-resistant trees and plants in contaminated sites is highly appealing and despite being in its infancy, it has the potential to be a relatively safe, sustainable and efficient method.



Green Fuel from Madagascar

 

The development of bio-diesel, an alternative fuel produced by blending vegetable-based oils with petroleum diesel, is aimed at quenching the insatiable thirst of society for energy. At the same time, its implementation is touted to be able to cut carbon emissions by 80%, making it a reliable and low environmental impact source of fuel. In line with global efforts in reducing carbon emissions, British-based bio-energy firm D1 Oils intends to set up plantations in Madagascar producing raw materials for manufacturing bio-diesel. The plants involved are drought-resistant jatropha trees which are able to grow on poor, arid soils. Their production rate of 2.7 tons of oil per hectare makes them the most viable according to D1. The project partially funded by USAID is expected to increase the national income of Madagascar by something in the order of US$100 million, a welcome boost for a country known as one of the world’s poorest nations.


GM ‘golden rice’ could help tackle childhood blindness
Vitamin A deficiency though rarely lethal has a widespread effect on the human population. According to the estimates of the World Health Organisation, approximately 500,000 children go blind each year due to vitamin A deficiency.

To counter such devastation to our future generations, UK scientists have developed a new genetically-modified strain of golden rice with 20 times more beta-carotene, a precursor required to produce vitamin A.

Despite environmental and safety concerns as field trials have not been started in Asia, Project Manager Dr. Jorge Mayer believes that it will be one of the solutions to fully prevent illnesses related to Vitamin A deficiencies.

Experts: Mosquito virus could help beat AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), is one of the most devastating global epidemic of the 20th century. According to UNAIDS estimates, as of December 2000, there were an estimated 36.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS; and since the epidemic began, an estimated 21.8 million people have died of the incurable disease.

Recently, a research team in Queensland has created much buzz, as they discovered a virus found in north Australian mosquitoes which has the potential to provide a basis for vaccines against AIDS and a cure for cancer. The Kunjin virus, produces a gene which alerts the immune system about bad cells, and the team is currently teaching the immune system to recognize cancer cells.

According to a team member, molecular virologist of the University of Queensland, Alex Khromykh, trials in mice have been promising, however human trials would have to be at least five years away.