re: hope this helps

Future Materials News - October/November, 2005

Sensational Materials Natural extract to revolutionise the treated pine industry
Scientists have discovered a natural plant extract that can knock out the destructive termites, and it's all thanks to a humble Aussie fence post.

Associate Professor Robert Spooner-Hart, Director of the Centre for Plant and Food Science at the University of Western Sydney, is working with a team - which includes Southern Cross University - to investigate a revolutionary new anti-termite product extracted from a native plant found in southern Queensland. The pioneering research is being undertaken in partnership with Australian publicly listed company, BioProspect Limited.

The miraculous plant extract has been found to not only kill termites, but also repel them and prevent further infestations. "If you treat something with it, they don't feed on it; if you put it in a sand barrier, they won't go through it; if you spray them directly with it, you kill them," Associate Professor Robert Spooner-Hart said.

It's a breakthrough which is set to revolutionise the building, treated pine, and pest control industries; and potentially save the millions of dollars currently spent trying to protect new and existing homes from the vast termite problem, both in Australia and overseas.

Associate Professor Robert Spooner-Hart says the natural extract could spell the end to hazardous poisons and other chemicals being used to treat houses and pine products.

"The anti-termite extract evolved from studies carried out by UWS and SCU on a lone fence post spared by termites in a paddock where surrounding posts had been devoured," he explains.

"After analysis by the UWS and SCU team, the wood and its extract were found to be from a native Eremophila species also known as False Sandalwood (Eremophila mitchellii).

"The discovery of this extract and its anti-termite properties couldn't come at a better time, given the concerns over treated pine and the ban on treated pine product in many areas.

"Copper chrome nate, which is currently used to treat pine products, is now banned from areas like kids' playgrounds, and most people now no longer want treated pine in their backyard."

Associate Professor Spooner-Hart says the extract could become a multi-use pest control product.

"At the moment the only chemical treatment to kill termites is chlorpyrifos a nerve poison, which affects nerves in humans and other animals. It's quite a hazardous chemical, and is a very special limited-use product available to pest controllers for major termite infestations," he says.

The anti-termite extract is not available to the public yet as scientific analysis is ongoing, however BioProspect hopes to have commercial products available after further development trials have been completed.