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Sunday, May 4, 2008

Arabidopsis Plant to Help in Paint, Lipstick Manufacture

The 'Lipstick plant' offers to bring new meaning to the term plastic flower.

It looks like a weed, but the Arabidopsis plant could end the need for fossil fuels in the manufacture of household items such as paint and lipstick.

Australian researchers have genetically engineered a specimen of the plant – a member of the mustard family – to produce an unusual fatty acid normally only found in petrochemicals.

Scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CISRO) say the acid can be used to make polymers – the "building blocks" behind plastics and some paints and cosmetics.

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