Chickadee
12-25-2005, 12:24 PM
Baby Jesus, King Balthazar, exotism, perfumes, ecology, boating, all in one!
here (http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=16518429&method=full&siteid=50082-name_page.html)
Myrrh finds a new role in fending off ship barnacles
....
They are already developing slug repellents made from the resin of myrrh, now they are looking at making paints for ships to keep off barnacles.
......
"In medieval times Arab ship builders would seal their boats with myrrh which appeared to prevent wood-boring molluscs from making holes in the wooden hull.
"Even in Victorian times the resin formed part of a recipe used by the Navy to paint and preserve wooden decks.
"The plant uses these to seal or plug any wounds made in the bark. Many of the natural chemicals in the resin will repel insect pests and attract others to eat the pests in a subtle chemical warfare. Some of the chemicals defend the tree from bacterial and fungal attack and modern chemical analysis shows the mixture to contain antibiotic and antifungal compounds many of which are new to science.
........
"Research work has shown the resin and some of its extracted chemicals can be used in an anti-fouling paint to protect ships and marine installations and international collaboration is producing significant new formulations.
"These formulations prevent the settlement and growth of barnacles, limpets and other molluscs and hopefully may eventually replace the current toxic products that are based on organo-tin.
Copper, myrrh, what's next ? Gold, diamonds ? Isn't boating expensive enough or what ?
here (http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=16518429&method=full&siteid=50082-name_page.html)
Myrrh finds a new role in fending off ship barnacles
....
They are already developing slug repellents made from the resin of myrrh, now they are looking at making paints for ships to keep off barnacles.
......
"In medieval times Arab ship builders would seal their boats with myrrh which appeared to prevent wood-boring molluscs from making holes in the wooden hull.
"Even in Victorian times the resin formed part of a recipe used by the Navy to paint and preserve wooden decks.
"The plant uses these to seal or plug any wounds made in the bark. Many of the natural chemicals in the resin will repel insect pests and attract others to eat the pests in a subtle chemical warfare. Some of the chemicals defend the tree from bacterial and fungal attack and modern chemical analysis shows the mixture to contain antibiotic and antifungal compounds many of which are new to science.
........
"Research work has shown the resin and some of its extracted chemicals can be used in an anti-fouling paint to protect ships and marine installations and international collaboration is producing significant new formulations.
"These formulations prevent the settlement and growth of barnacles, limpets and other molluscs and hopefully may eventually replace the current toxic products that are based on organo-tin.
Copper, myrrh, what's next ? Gold, diamonds ? Isn't boating expensive enough or what ?