23 December 1997 Royal visit leads to scientific link

A 1992 visit to Christchurch by Thailand's Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol, daughter of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, has led to a scientific collaboration in the toxicology of water pollution funded by New Zealand's Asia 2000 Foundation.

In addition to her royal role the Princess is a highly qualified scientist with a particular interest in toxicology. She is a Professor of Organic Chemistry and is President of a research institute in Bangkok which carries her name.

While on a formal tour of New Zealand in 1992 Princess Chulabhorn visited Lincoln University and the laboratory of toxicologist Dr Ravi Gooneratne where the possibility of shared research in toxicology was raised.

In 1994 Dr Gooneratne visited the Chulabhorn Research Institute in Thailand and specific proposals were discussed. Now the idea has come to fruition with the signing of an agreement between Lincoln and the Chulabhorn Research Institute.

"As part of its environmental focus, Lincoln has been interested for some time in the toxicology of water pollution," says Dr Gooneratne, who developed the University's toxicology course.

"Environmental toxicology has become an area of growing interest to the scientific community and general public in Asia," says Dr Gooneratne.

"Water pollution from chemicals has attracted a great deal of public interest in the past two decades.

"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 Dr Gooneratne.

The first steps in the collaborative project have now been taken with a visit to Lincoln University by three scientists from the Chulabhorn Research Institute - Dr Mathuros Ruchirawat, Dr Somsak Ruchirawat and Miss Nantewan Chanwanna. Members of the Lincoln team are Dr Gooneratne, Dr Ron McLaren and Mr Chris Bailey.

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, 1997-1999.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand