Trace metal concentrations in edible tissue of snapper, flathead, lobster, and abalone from coastal waters of Victoria, Australia

The concentrations of heavy metals in the edible tissue of commonly fished species of the Victorian coast of Australia are reported. The metals studied were As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn and the fish species examined were snapper (Pagruss auratus), flathead (Platycephalus bassenssis and Neoplatycephalus richardsoni), lobster (Jasus edwardsii), and abalone (Haliotis rubra). None of the fish species studied had average concentrations exceeding the maximum levels specified for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb by the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand Food Standards code. Additionally, the concentrations of Cu, Se, and Zn were close to or below the median values generally expected in these species. Essential trace elements Se and Zn were found to be well regulated by all fish species. Although also essential, Cu was not so well regulated, especially in abalone. Nonessential metals As, Cd, and Hg are not regulated in the studied fish and their concentrations in the fish tissue are dependent on size and fishing zone. Metal concentrations were not largely affected by sex. Surprisingly, the concentrations of metals in fish in Port Phillip Bay, a zone, which includes the major cities of Melbourne and Geelong and is known to have high concentrations of metals in the water and sediment, were not consistently higher than those in other less-populated fishing zones.

Medicinal plants of Malaysia

This article presents information about agricultural news and studies. Pharmacologists know the medicinal properties of the tropical species of Malaysia. Areca catechu is known as a common masticatory drug. An overview of the various medicinal plants, including Andrographis paniculata, Aquilaria malaccenis, and Cassia alata is offered. Malaysian medicinal plants act as strong therapeutic agents for several human diseases.

Medicinal plants of Thailand

This article reveals some common medicinal plants from Thailand.

Surviving suppression : no detectable impacts of Class A foam on soil invertebrates and some Australian native plants

Firefighting foams (Class A foams) are an effective and widespread firefighting tool which are frequently used in environmentally sensitive areas. Firefighting foams are known to be ecologically damaging in aquatic environments, however their impacts at the plant species or ecosystem level are relatively unknown. Reports of shoot damage to plants, suppressed flowering, and changes in plant community composition suggested that the ecological damage caused by their use may be unacceptable. However, applications of foam to seedlings of some Australian plant species from representative and widespread families, showed no detectable impacts on a range of vegetative growth characteristics. Application of 1.0% foam to heathland soils showed no detectable impacts on soil invertebrate Orders sampled over several months. The results are encouraging for the continued use of Class A foam as a fire suppression technique.