Diatoms shown to absorb and store uranium inside cells
Saturday, 9 August 2025 () Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 08, 2025
Uranium, a toxic heavy metal, is present in soils, dissolves in mining water, and can enter farmland via phosphate fertilizers. In Germany, it is especially prevalent in Saxony and Thuringia, though also found in the south. Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), collaborating with French scientists, have clarified how uranium chemically interacts with diatoms, a key phytopla