toxic water linked to forestry trees

RESEARCH has linked toxicity in a Tasmanian river used for drinking water to the leaves of genetically improved plantation eucalypt trees, prompting calls for a wider inquiry.
The woman behind the work, local GP Alison Bleaney, yesterday told The Australian the findings, featured on ABC TV's Australian Story tonight, warranted a full and thorough inquiry.

"We need to get to the bottom of this so that forestry can go on growing their trees and we can continue to drink our water," Dr Bleaney said.

A long investigation by Dr Bleaney and Sydney scientist Marcus Scammell -- involving the testing of water at independent laboratories interstate -- concluded a toxin found in the George River on Tasmania's east coast was from the leaves of the eucalyptus nitens.

The species is widely used by forestry companies for plantation forests, which cover an estimated 300,000ha of Tasmania.

Dr Scammell told the program that a Tasmanian government investigation had come to the same conclusion.

"They've concluded that it's naturally occurring and therefore not an issue -- we haven't accepted that," he said.

Having found that water samples from the George River were toxic to water fleas, oyster larvae and sea urchins, the two doctors sent water samples to the University of NSW for testing on human cell lines.

University environmental toxicologist Christian Khalil said whatever agent was in the water was 100 per cent toxic to human skin, liver and lung cells.

"It is toxic, but I don't know the extent of the impact on the whole body," Dr Khalil told the program.
"We're doing experiments using single cells, which is different from an organism where you have multiple cells interacting with each other and where cells can repair themselves in the human body."

New Zealand ecotoxicologist Chris Hickey reviewed and repeated the tests using foam from the river, including from a site near the drinking water intake for the town of St Helens. He found the foam toxic to mussel larvae. Further tests showed the leaves of the genetically improved nitens trees were much more likely to generate foam in water than those of unmodified old growth nitens.

Federal Liberal senator Bill Heffernan demanded the government launch a scientific review of the claims.

"I'd also like to see a Senate inquiry to get some facts on the table," he said.