Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influence the speciation and subcellular abundance of uranium in plant roots

Dinsley, James M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1297-748X; Halsey, Kirstie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1701-0198; Venter, Eudri; Gomez-Gonzalez, Miguel A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2725-4820; Moore, Katie L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1615-7232; Field, Lorraine P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8747-9901; Shaw, Samuel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6353-5454; Robinson, Clare H.; Pittman, Jon K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7197-1494. 2025 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influence the speciation and subcellular abundance of uranium in plant roots. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. 10.1039/D5EM00108K

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EM00108K

Abstract/Summary

Uranium (U) is a natural radioactive metal and a persistent environmental pollutant. Characterising the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on U bioaccumulation and partitioning in plants is crucial to understand U soil-to-plant transfer mechanisms. High resolution elemental mapping, spectroscopy and microscopy techniques were conducted on uranyl nitrate dosed Plantago lanceolata roots colonised with Rhizophagus irregularis . U-rich particles accumulated within the root cells, with higher abundance in epidermal and outer cortex cells of mycorrhizal root samples than in non-mycorrhizal roots. Electron microscopy determined two different crystalline U phases, an acicular crystal and a novel rounded aggregate formation, the latter of which was only found within the mycorrhizal root cells. Multiple imaging and spectroscopic techniques enabled the dominant elements with these U biominerals to be determined. Co-localisation between U, phosphorus and oxygen indicated the dominance of U-phosphate biominerals, but metals including calcium and zinc were also found to co-localise. The most dominant U compound was uranyl orthophosphate, likely accompanied by autunite. This study demonstrates alteration in U localisation and U particle morphology within Plantago roots as a direct consequence of AMF colonisation. This knowledge will allow more accurate U food-chain transfer modelling and better assessment of AMF-assisted phytoremediation feasibility.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1039/D5EM00108K
ISSN:	2050-7887
Date made live:	09 Jul 2025 12:36 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539830

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1039/D5EM00108K

ISSN:

2050-7887

Date made live:

09 Jul 2025 12:36 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539830