Siderophores amendment on Fe-rich mining tailings: screening a potential strategy for Fe phytomining

• Grant number: 22/00296-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Tiago Osório Ferreira
• Grantee: Amanda Duim Ferreira
• Supervisor: Owen Duckworth
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: North Carolina State University (NC State), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/14800-5 - Estuarine plants and their control in metals biogeochemistry in soils impacted by the `Mariana disaster´, BP.DR

Abstract

Catastrophic rupture of dams containing mine have been increasing worldwide and rising environmental pollution. Phytomining is a plant-based technology with great potential to decrease the threats associated with mine tailings spills and to provide potential economical rewards through bio-ore production. Although iron (Fe) ore is the major ore globally produced, generating large amounts of Fe-rich tailings, Fe phytomining on the tailings is an uncommon approach. In this way, this project aims to investigate the potential of siderophores, biogenic low-molecular-weight Fe(III)-binding compounds, for enhancing Fe phytomining by Typha spp., a plant that is well-known for metal accumulation. To achieve our propose, two experiments will be conducted. The Experiment I will evaluate the effects of doses of proline-22-deoxymugineic acid (PDMA) added to Fe-rich mine tailings on Fe bioavailability. This experiment will be conducted for 30 days, with 4 doses of PDMA, replicated 5 times, and conducted in anoxic and oxic conditions. According to the results from Experiment I, the Experiment II will be conducted for 60 days to evaluate if the addition of PDMA will increase Fe accumulation on Typha spp. aboveground tissues. The PDMA dose in the Experiment II will be the dose obtained in the Experiment I in which Fe will be more available. The findings from this project will provide the first insights into siderophores' use on Fe phytomining, contributing also to our understanding of siderophores' effects on Fe absorption by plants. (AU)