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Thakur A, Kumar A. Emerging paradigms into bioremediation approaches for nuclear contaminant removal: From challenge to solution. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141369. [PMID: 38342150 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The release of radionuclides, including Cesium-137 (137Cs), Strontium-90 (90Sr), Uranium-238 (238U), Plutonium-239 (239Pu), Iodine-131 (131I), etc., from nuclear contamination presents profound threats to both the environment and human health. Traditional remediation methods, reliant on physical and chemical interventions, often prove economically burdensome and logistically unfeasible for large-scale restoration efforts. In response to these challenges, bioremediation has emerged as a remarkably efficient, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective solution. This innovative approach harnesses the power of microorganisms, plants, and biological agents to transmute radioactive materials into less hazardous forms. For instance, consider the remarkable capability demonstrated by Fontinalis antipyretica, a water moss, which can accumulate uranium at levels as high as 4979 mg/kg, significantly exceeding concentrations found in the surrounding water. This review takes an extensive dive into the world of bioremediation for nuclear contaminant removal, exploring sources of radionuclides, the ingenious resistance mechanisms employed by plants against these harmful elements, and the fascinating dynamics of biological adsorption efficiency. It also addresses limitations and challenges, emphasizing the need for further research and implementation to expedite restoration and mitigate nuclear pollution's adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinay Thakur
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering and Physical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Nalanda College of Engineering, Bihar Engineering University, Science, Technology and Technical Education Department, Government of Bihar, 803108, India.
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Chen L, Liu J, Zhang W, Zhou J, Luo D, Li Z. Uranium (U) source, speciation, uptake, toxicity and bioremediation strategies in soil-plant system: A review. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 413:125319. [PMID: 33582470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Uranium(U), a highly toxic radionuclide, is becoming a great threat to soil health development, as returning nuclear waste containing U into the soil systems is increased. Numerous studies have focused on: i) tracing the source in U contaminated soils; ii) exploring U geochemistry; and iii) assessing U phyto-uptake and its toxicity to plants. Yet, there are few literature reviews that systematically summarized the U in soil-plant system in past decade. Thus, we present its source, geochemical behavior, uptake, toxicity, detoxification, and bioremediation strategies based on available data, especially published from 2018 to 2021. In this review, we examine processes that can lead to the soil U contamination, indicating that mining activities are currently the main sources. We discuss the relationship between U bioavailability in the soil-plant system and soil conditions including redox potential, soil pH, organic matter, and microorganisms. We then review the soil-plant transfer of U, finding that U mainly accumulates in roots with a quite limited translocation. However, plants such as willow, water lily, and sesban are reported to translocate high U levels from roots to aerial parts. Indeed, U does not possess any identified biological role, but provokes numerous deleterious effects such as reducing seed germination, inhibiting plant growth, depressing photosynthesis, interfering with nutrient uptake, as well as oxidative damage and genotoxicity. Yet, plants tolerate U toxicity via various defense strategies including antioxidant enzymes, compartmentalization, and phytochelatin. Moreover, we review two biological remediation strategies for U-contaminated soil: (i) phytoremediation and (ii) microbial remediation. They are quite low-cost and eco-friendly compared with traditional physical or chemical remediation technologies. Finally, we conclude some promising research challenges regarding U biogeochemical behavior in soil-plant systems. This review, thus, further indicates that the combined application of U low accumulators and microbial inoculants may be an effective strategy for the bioremediation of U-contaminated soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Western China Grassland Industry; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, PR China
| | - Jinrong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Western China Grassland Industry; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, PR China.
| | - Weixiong Zhang
- Third Institute Geological and Mineral Exploration of Gansu Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu, PR China
| | - Jiqiang Zhou
- Gansu Nonferrous Engineering Exploration & Design Research Institute, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu, PR China
| | - Danqi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, Gansu Tech Innovation Center of Western China Grassland Industry; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, PR China
| | - Zimin Li
- Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Earth and Life Institute, Soil Science, Louvain-La-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
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Rodriguez-Freire L, DeVore CL, El Hayek E, Berti D, Ali AMS, Lezama Pacheco JS, Blake JM, Spilde MN, Brearley AJ, Artyushkova K, Cerrato JM. Emerging investigator series: entrapment of uranium-phosphorus nanocrystals inside root cells of Tamarix plants from a mine waste site. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2021; 23:73-85. [PMID: 33325952 PMCID: PMC8479813 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00306a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the mechanisms of uranium (U) uptake by Tamarix (salt cedars) growing along the Rio Paguate, which flows throughout the Jackpile mine near Pueblo de Laguna, New Mexico. Tamarix were selected for this study due to the detection of U in the roots and shoots of field collected plants (0.6-58.9 mg kg-1), presenting an average bioconcentration factor greater than 1. Synchrotron-based micro X-ray fluorescence analyses of plant roots collected from the field indicate that the accumulation of U occurs in the cortex of the root. The mechanisms for U accumulation in the roots of Tamarix were further investigated in controlled-laboratory experiments where living roots of field plants were macerated for 24 h or 2 weeks in a solution containing 100 μM U. The U concentration in the solution decreased 36-59% after 24 h, and 49-65% in two weeks. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses detected U precipitation in the root cell walls near the xylems of the roots, confirming the initial results from the field samples. High-resolution TEM was used to study the U fate inside the root cells, and needle-like U-P nanocrystals, with diameter <7 nm, were found entrapped inside vacuoles in cells. EXAFS shell-by-shell fitting suggest that U is associated with carbon functional groups. The preferable binding of U to the root cell walls may explain the U retention in the roots of Tamarix, followed by U-P crystal precipitation, and pinocytotic active transport and cellular entrapment. This process resulted in a limited translocation of U to the shoots in Tamarix plants. This study contributes to better understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms affecting the U uptake and accumulation by plants growing near contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Rodriguez-Freire
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA.
| | - Cherie L DeVore
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Chemistry, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Debora Berti
- Oceanography Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845, USA
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Juan S Lezama Pacheco
- Department of Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Johanna M Blake
- Department of Chemistry, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA and U.S. Geological Survey, 6700 Edith Blvd NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113, USA
| | - Michael N Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Adrian J Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Kateryna Artyushkova
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - José M Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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Mahey S, Kumar R, Kumar V, Sharma R, Sharma M, Bhardwaj R, Thukral A. Maleic acid and EDTA mediated extenuation of Co(II) stress in Hordeum vulgare seedlings. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biori.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Li C, Wang M, Luo X, Liang L, Han X, Lin X. Accumulation and effects of uranium on aquatic macrophyte Nymphaea tetragona Georgi: Potential application to phytoremediation and environmental monitoring. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2019; 198:43-49. [PMID: 30590332 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed the ability of Nymphaea tetragona Georgi (N. tetragona) to accumulate water-borne uranium and any effects this could exert on this plant species. In accumulation experiments, N. tetragona was exposed (21 d) to different concentrations of uranium (0-55 mg L-1) and the content of uranium was determined in water and plant tissues (leaves, submerged position and plant) to determine the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF). The content of uranium in the plant and plant tissues showed concentration-dependent uptake, leaves were the predominant tissue for uranium accumulation, and TF and BCF values were both affected by the concentration of uranium in the water. In this research, the uranium content and BCF value in the leaves of N. tetragona were upto 3446 ± 155 mg kg-1 and 73 ± 3, respectively. In physiological experiments, uranium treatment boosted the activity of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves, and increasing uranium concentrations aggravated damage to the cell membrane system. Uranium contamination significantly inhibited the content of soluble protein, as well as chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and carotene in the leaves, indicating the structure and function of chloroplast were destroyed, reducing the photosynthetic performance of plants. These results indicate that the macrophyte N. tetragona can accumulate uranium while showing a stress response via metabolic mechanisms under uranium exposure, and it may be a suitable bioremediation candidate for aquatic marine contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Li
- School of Environment and Resource, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China; School of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, 723001, PR China.
| | - Maolin Wang
- School of Environment and Resource, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China
| | - Xuegang Luo
- Engineering Research Center of Biomass Materials, Ministry of Education, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China.
| | - Lili Liang
- Sichuan Preschool Educator College, Jiangyou, Sichuan, 621070, PR China
| | - Xu Han
- Engineering Research Center of Biomass Materials, Ministry of Education, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China
| | - Xiaoyan Lin
- Engineering Research Center of Biomass Materials, Ministry of Education, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China
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Hayek EE, Torres C, Rodriguez-Freire L, Blake JM, De Vore CL, Brearley AJ, Spilde MN, Cabaniss S, Ali AMS, Cerrato J. Effect of Calcium on the Bioavailability of Dissolved Uranium(VI) in Plant Roots under Circumneutral pH. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:13089-13098. [PMID: 30412391 PMCID: PMC6341987 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
We integrated field measurements, hydroponic experiments, microscopy, and spectroscopy to investigate the effect of Ca(II) on dissolved U(VI) uptake by plants in 1 mM HCO3- solutions at circumneutral pH. The accumulation of U in plants (3.1-21.3 mg kg-1) from the stream bank of the Rio Paguate, Jackpile Mine, New Mexico served as a motivation for this study. Brassica juncea was the model plant used for the laboratory experiments conducted over a range of U (30-700 μg L-1) and Ca (0-240 mg L-1) concentrations. The initial U uptake followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The initial U uptake rate ( V0) ranged from 4.4 to 62 μg g-1 h-1 in experiments with no added Ca and from 0.73 to 2.07 μg g-1 h-1 in experiments with 12 mg L-1 Ca. No measurable U uptake over time was detected for experiments with 240 mg L-1 Ca. Ternary Ca-U-CO3 complexes may affect the decrease in U bioavailability observed in this study. Elemental X-ray mapping using scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectrometry detected U-P-bearing precipitates within root cell walls in water free of Ca. These results suggest that root interactions with Ca and carbonate in solution affect the bioavailability of U in plants. This study contributes relevant information to applications related to U transport and remediation of contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Phone: (001) (505) 582-1362,
| | - Chris Torres
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, MSC01 1120, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Lucia Rodriguez-Freire
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, United States
| | - Johanna M. Blake
- U.S. Geological Survey, 6700 Edith Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113, United States
| | - Cherie L. De Vore
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Adrian J. Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Michael N. Spilde
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Stephen Cabaniss
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, MSC03 2060, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Abdul-Mehdi S. Ali
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC03 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - JoséM. Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, MSC01 1070, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Corresponding Authors Phone: (001) (505) 277-0870; fax: (001) (505) 277-1918;
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Yu T, Liang S, Pan T, Li H. Sorption kinetic studies of U(VI) on inorganic and organic modified red earth: comparison of linear and non-linear methods. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-017-5343-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Huang Z, Tang S, Zhang L, Ma L, Ding S, Du L, Zhang D, Jin Y, Wang R, Huang C, Xia C. Interaction between U and Th on their uptake, distribution, and toxicity in V S. alfredii based on the phytoremediation of U and Th. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:2996-3005. [PMID: 27848132 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-8037-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Variant Sedum alfredii Hance (V S. alfredii) could simultaneously take up U and Th from water with the highest concentrations recorded as 1.84 × 104 and 6.72 × 103 mg/kg in the roots, respectively. Th stimulated U uptake by V S. alfredii roots at Th10 (10 μM of Th), however, the opposite was observed at Th100 (100 μM of Th). A similar result was found in the effect of U on the uptake of Th by V S. alfredii. Subcellular fractionation studies of V S. alfredii indicated that U and Th were mainly stored in cell wall fraction, and much less was found in organelle and soluble fractions. Chemical form examination results showed that water-soluble U and Th were the predominant chemical forms in this plant. Addition of the other radionuclide in aqueous solutions altered the concentration and percentage of U or Th in cell wall fraction and in water-soluble form, resulting in the change of the uptake capacity of U or Th by V S. alfredii roots. Comparing with single U or Th treatment, the plant cells revealed more swollen chloroplasts and enhanced thickening in cell walls under the U100 + Th100 treatment, as observed by TEM. Those results collectively displayed that V S. alfredii may be utilized as a potential plant to simultaneously remove U and Th from aqueous solutions (rhizofiltration).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenling Huang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Siqun Tang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Lijian Ma
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Songdong Ding
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Liang Du
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China
| | - Yongdong Jin
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China
| | - Ruibing Wang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China.
| | - Chao Huang
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China.
| | - Chuanqin Xia
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China.
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Favas PJC, Pratas J, Mitra S, Sarkar SK, Venkatachalam P. Biogeochemistry of uranium in the soil-plant and water-plant systems in an old uranium mine. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 568:350-368. [PMID: 27314898 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study highlights the uranium (U) concentrations in water-soil-plant matrices and the efficiency considering a heterogeneous assemblage of terrestrial and aquatic native plant species to act as the biomonitor and phytoremediator for environmental U-contamination in the Sevilha mine (uraniferous region of Beiras, Central Portugal). A total of 53 plant species belonging to 22 families was collected from 24 study sites along with ambient soil and/or water samples. The concentration of U showed wide range of variations in the ambient medium: 7.5 to 557mgkg(-1) for soil and 0.4 to 113μgL(-1) for water. The maximum potential of U accumulation was recorded in roots of the following terrestrial plants: Juncus squarrosus (450mgkg(-1) DW), Carlina corymbosa (181mgkg(-1) DW) and Juncus bufonius (39.9mgkg(-1) DW), followed by the aquatic macrophytes, namely Callitriche stagnalis (55.6mgkg(-1) DW) Lemna minor (53.0mgkg(-1) DW) and Riccia fluitans (50.6mgkg(-1) DW). Accumulation of U in plant tissues exhibited the following decreasing trend: root>leaves>stem>flowers/fruits and this confirms the unique efficiency of roots in accumulating this radionuclide from host soil/sediment (phytostabilization). Overall, the accumulation pattern in the studied aquatic plants (L. minor, R. fluitans, C. stagnalis and Lythrum portula) dominated over most of the terrestrial counterpart. Among terrestrial plants, the higher mean bioconcentration factor (≈1 in roots/rhizomes of C. corymbosa and J. squarrosus) and translocation factor (31 in Andryala integrifolia) were encountered in the representing families Asteraceae and Juncaceae. Hence, these terrestrial plants can be treated as the promising candidates for the development of the phytostabilization or phytoextraction methodologies based on the accumulation, abundance and biomass production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo J C Favas
- University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal; MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - João Pratas
- MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Department of Earth Sciences, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal; Instituto de Geologia e Petróleo de Timor Leste, Timor-Leste
| | - Soumita Mitra
- University of Calcutta, Department of Marine Science, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Sarkar
- University of Calcutta, Department of Marine Science, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700019, West Bengal, India
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