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Malinda
graduated with a Botany degree with honours from The University
of Melbourne in 2004. Her honours project investigated the potential
of fire to control Leptospermum laevigatum (Coast Tea-tree)
invading coastal heathlands at Wilsons Promontory National Park.
Malinda's focus has changed slightly and she is currently working
as a research assistant for Dr. W. Scott Laidlaw to test the
phytoremediation of biosolids and effluent contaminated land
at the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) in Werribee. This is an
ARC funded linkage project between Melbourne Water and The University
of Melbourne. Phytoremediation has the potential to be a cost-effective
solution to extracting heavy metals from biosolid stockpiles
at WTP. The use of fast-growing willows to uptake heavy metals
is being researched. Malinda's role consists of assisting Scott
in setting up and maintaining experiments in the glasshouse
and on a larger-scale in Werribee. This involves the collection,
preparation and analysis of such material for metal content
and biomass. Currently, Malinda is assisting Scott in setting
up a larger field experiment involving phytoremediation of biosolid
stockpiles using lagoon water.
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