This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.XAS is uniquely suited for investigating in situ metal speciation in plant and environmental samples, eliminating extraction and sample preparation procedures that may change the speciation. We propose to use XAS to investigate the accumulation and transformation of zinc, cadmium and mercury in whole plants and plant cells, to determine tolerance mechanism as a function of tissue type, and as a function of periodic trends. We will also use XAS to study uptake and transformation of selenium by plant cells, and by microorganisms. In addition, we will use XAS to investigate mercury binding to various thiacrown chelation complexes, to explore the chemistry of their effectiveness at remediation of mercury. This work will lead to an understanding of the biological pathways and chemical binding important for the transformation and remediation of metal pollution, and will provide a more complete picture of the fate of metals in the environment.
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