Phytosiderophore Effects on Subsurface Actinide Contaminants: Potential for Phytostabilization and Phytoextraction

This project seeks to understand the influence of phytosiderophore-producing plants (grasses, including crops such as wheat and barley) on the biogeochemistry of actinide and other metal contaminants in the subsurface environment, and to determine the potential of phytosiderophore-producing plants for phytostabilization and phytoextraction of actinides and some metal soil contaminants. Phytosiderophores are secreted by graminaceous plants such as barley and wheat for the solubilization, mobilization and uptake of Fe and other essential nutrients from soils. The ability for these phytosiderophores to chelate and absorb actinides using the same uptake system as for Fe is being investigated though characterization of actinide-phytosiderophore complexes (independently of plants), and characterization of plant uptake of such complexes. We may also show possible harm caused by these plants through increased chelation of actinides that increase in actinide mobilization & migration in the subsurface environment. This information can then be directly applied by either removal of harmful plants, or can be used to develop plant-based soil stabilization/remediation technologies. Such technologies could be the low-cost, low risk solution to many DOE actinide contamination problems