Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ner: Exploratory Research On Developing A Nanoscale Sensing Device For Measuring The Supply Of Iron To Eukaryotic Phytoplankton In Natural Seawater, Mark L. Wells

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The long delay in recognizing the potentially key role of Fe in coastal marine systems has been in large part because of the complexity of microbial:Fe interactions in seawater. There still is no analytical method for determining biologically available Fe for either prokaryotic or eukaryotic phytoplankton. However, there is evidence that Fe availability to eukaryotic phytoplankton can be regulated by additions of the fungal siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFB) to coastal waters. The DFB-Fe complex not only is unavailable for uptake at significant rates, but also outcompetes the natural organic ligand classes in seawater for Fe. Measurement of DFB-Fe concentrations in …