Date of Award
8-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Environmental Engineering
Committee Member
Dr. Nicole Martinez, Committee Chair
Committee Member
Dr. Brian Powell
Committee Member
Dr. Nishanth Tharayil
Abstract
The work herein investigates the potentially competitive uptake and translocation of plutonium (Pu) and iron (Fe) in corn (Zea mays) to gain insight into the Pu uptake pathway. Plutonium has no known biological function in plants yet it has many chemical properties similar to Fe (an essential nutrient) implying that Pu may share the Fe uptake pathway. A series of experiments was conducted in which two hydroponically grown corn species (one healthy and one deficient in the transporter protein for Fe) were exposed to varying ratios of complexed Pu and Fe. Results suggest increased presence of Fe inhibits Pu translocation into the shoots of the corn plant. For example, increasing the Fe concentration in hydroponic solution from 1 ppb FeCl3 to 10 ppb FeCl3 resulted in Pu concentrations to decrease from a 7.57 (+/- 0.00 ) mg g-1 median shoot Pu concentration to 2.7300 (+/- 1.203) mg g-1 in a healthy strain of corn. Additionally, comparison of citrate and DFOB ligand influence on Pu uptake and translocation into corn plants determine Pu complexed with DFOB remained in the roots of the plant, while translocation of Pu into the shoots of the plant was more prevalent with the Pu-citrate complex.
Recommended Citation
Hoelbling, Stephanie, "Competitive Uptake of Plutonium and Iron in Corn (Zea mays)" (2016). All Theses. 2468.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/2468