Japan - High levels of radiation found in fish & vegetables.

Breaking news - The authorities in Tokyo have notice high level of radiation in spinach and fish near the damaged nuclear plant in the north east of Japan. The public broadcaster NHK stated that on Tuesday 26 April 2011, 2 600 to 3,200 of Becquerel’s per Kg of radioactive caesium was found in two samples of fish species. The fish is named sand lance and was caught off in Iwaki City and report says that the radiation level is of 5 to 6 times higher than a security limit.

Furthermore, on Sunday the local government has detected 960 Becquerel’s of caesium in spinach collected in Otama village in Fukushima region. The power station in Tokyo was severely damage after the earth quake and tsunami since then there has been leaking radiation. To set a safety standard for leafy vegetables the governments has ban some kind of export of fish and vegetables which has been harvested near the plant.

 Due to high contaminated water workers were prevented to work near the nuclear plant and the government also highlighted that procedures to decontaminate the water will start in June. 

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1635603.php/High-radiation-levels-in-fish-vegetables-near-Japan-stricken-plant

Study says - cigarettes butts dangerous for fish

Research by scientists at San Diego State University found that cigarette butts are dangerous for fish yet these tiny pieces often end up as litter in most of our lakes ponds and rivers.

The study consisted of analyzing the effect of these litters on salt water fish and fresh water one. To be able to conclude the most harmful aspect this search, researcher divided the cigarettes in 3 categories:

ü Smoke cigarettes with a filter and tobacco residue.

ü Un-smoke cigarette filters without tobacco

ü smoke filters with no tobacco

The cigarettes butts were soaked in water for 24 hours with both saltwater fish and freshwater fish.  It was found that the most dangerous one was smoked cigarettes with a filter and tobacco residue as 50 % of the fish placed in water died. 

However, all three types of the cigarette were harmful to fish and contaminated the water.  The study shows that the toxin in water is acutely present due to cigarette butts and represents a danger for marine life.

www.seawork.com.na

http://www.thirdage.com/news/cigarette-butts-harmful-to-fish-study-says_04-20-2011

Fish oil consumption reduce postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is common after delivery and it affects 25% of women during and after pregnancy.  In Washington, USA, Michelle Judge of the University of Connecticut School Of Nursing and her team stated that the results of several research show expecting mothers who consumed fish oil had fewer symptoms of postpartum depression.

The study consisted of 42pregnant women who consumed 200mg of fish oil daily starting from their 24^th weeks away from delivery and those who fail to take the required amount.  Expecting women who consume fish oil before delivery tend to have less of postpartum depression when compared to others.

Other research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids help in good functioning of our nervous system. Expectant mothers should consume products which are rich in omega-3fatty acid as this will help in quick developing of both mental and physical conditions of babies. In the 3^rd trimester of pregnancy, fatty acids help in the good developing of the fetus, till the final stage.

Judge says that more researches need to be done to better define how fish oil intake can reduce postpartum depression.

www.seawork.com.na

 

http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/12/study-fish-oil-may-prevent-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression/

14 people died of fish poisoning in Madagascar

In Madagascar, an average of fourteen persons died due to consumption of toxic fish.  The two towns affected by this situation are Toliara and Sakaraha.  The only fish affected are sardines and they belong to the clupeidae family.  This intoxication made 120 people ill after they ate that particular fish.

Dr. Hery Raharisaina, The minister of aquatic resources and fishing in Madagascar, sympathy with the victims of the families and those still ill.  The government will pay the fee for the medical care assistance.  The government will donate 100 mattresses to the care centre as the hospital of Toliara is overcrowded with sick people.

 

Sample of the toxin fish has been sent to the city of Antananarivo  at the Institute Pasteur de Madagascar .  The result of research shows that the fish was contaminated due to consumption of sea weeds.

www.seawork.com.na

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/At_least_fourteen_dead_after_eating_toxic_fish_in_Madagascar?dpl_id=254930