Award details

Transformation of toxic metal minerals in the myco-rhizosphere

Reference	BRE13640
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Geoffrey Michael Gadd
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Ian Alexander, Dr Janet Cotter-Howells, Professor Stephen Hillier
Institution	University of Dundee
Department	College of Life Sciences
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	117,766
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	12/03/2001
End date	12/03/2003
Duration	24 months

Abstract

Transformations of toxin metal minerals by fungi can profoundly effect the mobility of metals in soil-plant root systems. This research project seeks to characterise the transformation of toxic metal minerals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn phosphates, oxides, sulphates, carbonates) by ericoid and ectomycorrhizal fungi in the field and under controlled environmental conditions. Specific objectives include mineralogical characterisation of metals in the rhizosphere, and the physiological and chemical mechanisms involved in mineral transformations. Novel biogenic minerals will be characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) with the stability of neoformed phases predicted from thermodynamic activity diagrams Metal coordination in fungal hyphae will be determined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). This work will lead to a greater understanding of the biogeochemical behaviour of toxic metals at the soil-fungus-root interface and is relevant to rhizoremediation technologies for metal-contaminated land as well as nutrient dynamics in the rhizosphere.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Biological Interactions in the Root Environment (BRE) [2000]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search