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Przemieniecki SW, Kalisz B, Katzer J, Wamelink GWW, Kosewska O, Kosewska A, Sowiński P, Mastalerz J. Effect of vermicompost on rhizobiome and the growth of wheat on Martian regolith simulant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173299. [PMID: 38761954 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173299] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
As humanity embarks on the journey to establish permanent colonies on Mars, ensuring a reliable source of sustenance will be crucial. Therefore, detailed studies regarding crop cultivation using Martian simulants are of great importance. This study aimed to grow wheat on substrates based on soil and Martian simulants, with the addition of vermicompost, to investigate the differences in wheat development. Basic physical and chemical properties of substrates were examined, including determination of macro- and microelements as well as their microbiological properties. Plant growth parameters were also determined. The addition of vermicompost positively affected wheat grown on soil, but the effect on plants grown on substrate with Martian simulants was negligible. Comparing the microbiological and chemical components, it was observed that plants can defend themselves against the negative effects of growth on the Martian simulants, but their success depends on having the PGPR (Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) present, which can provide the plant with additional nitrogen. The presence of beneficial symbiotic microbiota will allow the wheat to wait out the negative growth time rather than adapt to the regolith environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki
- Department of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Barbara Kalisz
- Department of Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jacek Katzer
- Center of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - G W Wieger Wamelink
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Olga Kosewska
- Department of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kosewska
- Department of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Paweł Sowiński
- Department of Soil Science and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jędrzej Mastalerz
- Department of Entomology, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
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2
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Caro-Astorga J, Meyerowitz JT, Stork DA, Nattermann U, Piszkiewicz S, Vimercati L, Schwendner P, Hocher A, Cockell C, DeBenedictis E. Polyextremophile engineering: a review of organisms that push the limits of life. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1341701. [PMID: 38903795 PMCID: PMC11188471 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Nature exhibits an enormous diversity of organisms that thrive in extreme environments. From snow algae that reproduce at sub-zero temperatures to radiotrophic fungi that thrive in nuclear radiation at Chernobyl, extreme organisms raise many questions about the limits of life. Is there any environment where life could not "find a way"? Although many individual extremophilic organisms have been identified and studied, there remain outstanding questions about the limits of life and the extent to which extreme properties can be enhanced, combined or transferred to new organisms. In this review, we compile the current knowledge on the bioengineering of extremophile microbes. We summarize what is known about the basic mechanisms of extreme adaptations, compile synthetic biology's efforts to engineer extremophile organisms beyond what is found in nature, and highlight which adaptations can be combined. The basic science of extremophiles can be applied to engineered organisms tailored to specific biomanufacturing needs, such as growth in high temperatures or in the presence of unusual solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Devon A. Stork
- Pioneer Research Laboratories, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Una Nattermann
- Pioneer Research Laboratories, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Lara Vimercati
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | | | - Antoine Hocher
- London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Erika DeBenedictis
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Pioneer Research Laboratories, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Fernández-Caliani JC, Fernández-Landero S, Giráldez MI, Hidalgo PJ, Morales E. Unveiling a Technosol-based remediation approach for enhancing plant growth in an iron-rich acidic mine soil from the Rio Tinto Mars analog site. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171217. [PMID: 38417521 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171217] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
This paper explores the potential of Technosols made from non-hazardous industrial wastes as a sustainable solution for highly acidic iron-rich soils at the Rio Tinto mining site (Spain), a terrestrial Mars analog. These mine soils exhibit extreme acidity (pHH2O = 2.1-3.0), low nutrient availability (non-acid cation saturation < 20 %), and high levels of Pb (3420 mg kg-1), Cu (504 mg kg-1), Zn (415 mg kg-1), and As (319 mg kg-1), hindering plant growth and ecosystem restoration. To address these challenges, the study systematically analyzed selected waste materials, formulated them into Technosols, and conducted a four-month pot trial to evaluate the growth of Brassica juncea under greenhouse conditions. Technosols were tailored by adding varying weight percentages of waste amendments into the mine Technosol, specifically 10 %, 25 %, and 50 %. The waste amendments comprised a blend of organic waste (water clarification sludge, WCS) and inorganic wastes (white steel slag, WSS; and furnace iron slag, FIS). The formulations included: (T0) exclusively mine Technosol (control); (T1) 60 % WCS + 40 % WSS; (T2) 60 % WCS + 40 % FIS; and (T3) 50 % WCS + 16.66 % WSS + 33.33 % FIS. The analyses covered leachate quality, soil pore water chemistry, and plant response (germination and survival rates, plant height, and leaf number). Results revealed a significant reduction in leachable contaminant concentrations, with Pb (26.16 mg kg-1), Zn (4.94 mg kg-1), and Cu (2.29 mg kg-1) dropping to negligible levels and shifting towards less toxic species. These changes improved soil conditions, promoting seed germination and seedling growth. Among the formulations tested, Technosol T1 showed promise in overcoming mine soil limitations, enhancing plant adaptation, buffering against acidification, and stabilizing contaminants through precipitation and adsorption mechanisms. The paper stresses the importance of tailoring waste amendments to specific soil conditions, and highlights the broader implications of the Technosol approach, such as waste valorization, soil stabilization, and insights for Brassica juncea growth in extreme environments, including Martian soil simulants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Pablo J Hidalgo
- Department of Integrated Sciences, RENSMA, University of Huelva, Campus El Carmen, s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain.
| | - Emilio Morales
- Department of Chemistry, University of Huelva, Campus El Carmen, s/n, 21071 Huelva, Spain.
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Wang H, Pijl A, Liu B, Wamelink W, Korthals GW, Costa OYA, Kuramae EE. A Comparison of Different Protocols for the Extraction of Microbial DNA Inhabiting Synthetic Mars Simulant Soil. Microorganisms 2024; 12:760. [PMID: 38674704 PMCID: PMC11051824 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared with typical Earth soil, Martian soil and Mars simulant soils have distinct properties, including pH > 8.0 and high contents of silicates, iron-rich minerals, sulfates, and metal oxides. This unique soil matrix poses a major challenge for extracting microbial DNA. In particular, mineral adsorption and the generation of destructive hydroxyl radicals through cationic redox cycling may interfere with DNA extraction. This study evaluated different protocols for extracting microbial DNA from Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1), a Mars simulant soil. Two commercial kits were tested: the FastDNA SPIN Kit for soil ("MP kit") and the DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Kit ("PowerSoil kit"). MGS-1 was incubated with living soil for five weeks, and DNA was extracted from aliquots using the kits. After extraction, the DNA was quantified with a NanoDrop spectrophotometer and used as the template for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and qPCR. The MP kit was the most efficient, yielding approximately four times more DNA than the PowerSoil kit. DNA extracted using the MP kit with 0.5 g soil resulted in 28,642-37,805 16S rRNA gene sequence reads and 30,380-42,070 16S rRNA gene copies, whereas the 16S rRNA gene could not be amplified from DNA extracted using the PowerSoil kit. We suggest that the FastDNA SPIN Kit is the best option for studying microbial communities in Mars simulant soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; (H.W.); (A.P.); (O.Y.A.C.)
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Agata Pijl
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; (H.W.); (A.P.); (O.Y.A.C.)
| | - Binbin Liu
- Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 286 Huaizhong Road, Shijiazhuang 050021, China;
| | - Wieger Wamelink
- Biodiversity and Policy, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Gerard W. Korthals
- Bioindications and Plant Health, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Ohana Y. A. Costa
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; (H.W.); (A.P.); (O.Y.A.C.)
| | - Eiko E. Kuramae
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; (H.W.); (A.P.); (O.Y.A.C.)
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Caporale AG, Paradiso R, Palladino M, Arouna N, Izzo L, Ritieni A, De Pascale S, Adamo P. Assessment of Fertility Dynamics and Nutritional Quality of Potato Tubers in a Compost-Amended Mars Regolith Simulant. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:747. [PMID: 38475593 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Mars exploration will foresee the design of bioregenerative life support systems (BLSSs), in which the use/recycle of in situ resources might allow the production of food crops. However, cultivation on the poorly-fertile Mars regolith will be very challenging. To pursue this goal, we grew potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants on the MMS-1 Mojave Mars regolith simulant, pure (R100) and mixed with green compost at 30% (R70C30), in a pot in a cold glasshouse with fertigation. For comparison purposes, we also grew plants on a fluvial sand, pure (S100) and amended with 30% of compost (S70C30), a volcanic soil (VS) and a red soil (RS). We studied the fertility dynamics in the substrates over time and the tuber nutritional quality. We investigated nutrient bioavailability and fertility indicators in the substrates and the quality of potato tubers. Plants completed the life cycle on R100 and produced scarce but nutritious tubers, despite many critical simulant properties. The compost supply enhanced the MMS-1 chemical/physical fertility and determined a higher tuber yield of better nutritional quality. This study demonstrated that a compost-amended Mars simulant could be a proper substrate to produce food crops in BLSSs, enabling it to provide similar ecosystem services of the studied terrestrial soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Giandonato Caporale
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Roberta Paradiso
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Mario Palladino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Nafiou Arouna
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Luana Izzo
- Department of Farmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Alberto Ritieni
- Department of Farmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania De Pascale
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Paola Adamo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
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Barcenilla BB, Kundel I, Hall E, Hilty N, Ulianich P, Cook J, Turley J, Yerram M, Min JH, Castillo-González C, Shippen DE. Telomere dynamics and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis grown in lunar regolith simulant. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1351613. [PMID: 38434436 PMCID: PMC10908177 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1351613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
NASA envisions a future where humans establish a thriving colony on the Moon by 2050. Plants will be essential for this endeavor, but little is known about their adaptation to extraterrestrial bodies. The capacity to grow plants in lunar regolith would represent a major step towards this goal by minimizing the reliance on resources transported from Earth. Recent studies reveal that Arabidopsis thaliana can germinate and grow on genuine lunar regolith as well as on lunar regolith simulant. However, plants arrest in vegetative development and activate a variety of stress response pathways, most notably the oxidative stress response. Telomeres are hotspots for oxidative damage in the genome and a marker of fitness in many organisms. Here we examine A. thaliana growth on a lunar regolith simulant and the impact of this resource on plant physiology and on telomere dynamics, telomerase enzyme activity and genome oxidation. We report that plants successfully set seed and generate a viable second plant generation if the lunar regolith simulant is pre-washed with an antioxidant cocktail. However, plants sustain a higher degree of genome oxidation and decreased biomass relative to conventional Earth soil cultivation. Moreover, telomerase activity substantially declines and telomeres shorten in plants grown in lunar regolith simulant, implying that genome integrity may not be sustainable over the long-term. Overcoming these challenges will be an important goal in ensuring success on the lunar frontier.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dorothy E. Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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Chinnannan K, Somagattu P, Yammanuru H, Nimmakayala P, Chakrabarti M, Reddy UK. Effects of Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1) on Growth and Physiology of Sweet Potato: A Space Model Plant. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:55. [PMID: 38202365 PMCID: PMC10780443 DOI: 10.3390/plants13010055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Growing food autonomously on Mars is challenging due to the Martian soil's low nutrient content and high salinity. Understanding how plants adapt and evaluating their nutritional attributes are pivotal for sustained Mars missions. This research delves into the regeneration, stress tolerance, and dietary metrics of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) across different Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1) concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 75%). In our greenhouse experiment, 75% MGS-1 concentration significantly inhibited sweet potato growth, storage root biomass, and chlorophyll content. This concentration also elevated the plant tissues' H2O2, proline, and ascorbic acid levels. Higher MGS-1 exposures (50 and 75%) notably boosted the vital amino acids and sugar groups in the plant's storage roots. However, increased MGS-1 concentrations notably diminished the total C:N ratio and elemental composition in both the vines and storage roots. In summary, sweet potato exhibited optimal growth, antioxidant properties, yield, and nutrient profiles at 25% MGS-1 exposure as compared to higher concentrations. This study underscores the need for future interventions, like nutrient enhancements and controlled metal accessibility, to render sweet potato a suitable plant for space-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Chinnannan
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA; (K.C.); (P.S.); (H.Y.); (P.N.)
| | - Prapooja Somagattu
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA; (K.C.); (P.S.); (H.Y.); (P.N.)
| | - Hyndavi Yammanuru
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA; (K.C.); (P.S.); (H.Y.); (P.N.)
| | - Padma Nimmakayala
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA; (K.C.); (P.S.); (H.Y.); (P.N.)
| | - Manohar Chakrabarti
- School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA;
| | - Umesh K. Reddy
- Department of Biology, Gus R. Douglass Institute, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112, USA; (K.C.); (P.S.); (H.Y.); (P.N.)
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Berni R, Leclercq CC, Roux P, Hausman JF, Renaut J, Guerriero G. A molecular study of Italian ryegrass grown on Martian regolith simulant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 854:158774. [PMID: 36108852 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade, the exploration of deep space has become the objective of the national space programs of many countries. The International Space Exploration Coordination Group has set a roadmap whose long-range strategy envisions the expansion of human presence in the solar system to progress with exploration and knowledge and to accelerate innovation. Crewed missions to Mars could be envisaged by 2040. In this scenario, finding ways to use the local resources for the provision of food, construction materials, propellants, pharmaceuticals is needed. Plants are important resources for deep space manned missions because they produce phytochemicals of pharmaceutical relevance, are sources of food and provide oxygen which is crucial in bioregenerative life support systems. Growth analysis and plant biomass yield have been previously evaluated on Martian regolith simulants; however, molecular approaches employing gene expression analysis and proteomics are still missing. The present work aims at filling this gap by providing molecular data on a representative member of the Poaceae, Lolium multiflorum Lam., grown on potting soil and a Martian regolith simulant (MMS-1). The molecular data were complemented with optical microscopy of root/leaf tissues and physico-chemical analyses. The results show that the plants grew for 2 weeks on regolith simulants. The leaves were bent downwards and chlorotic, the roots developed a lacunar aerenchyma and small brownish deposits containing Fe were observed. Gene expression analysis and proteomics revealed changes in transcripts related to the phenylpropanoid pathway, stress response, primary metabolism and proteins involved in translation and DNA methylation. Additionally, the growth of plants slightly but significantly modified the pH of the regolith simulants. The results here presented constitute a useful resource to get a comprehensive understanding of the major factors impacting the growth of plants on MMS-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Berni
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg
| | - Céline C Leclercq
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg
| | - Philippe Roux
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Jean-Francois Hausman
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg
| | - Jenny Renaut
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg
| | - Gea Guerriero
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg.
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