Educational Programs and Outreach
Lemont High School ESRP 2021
Root Uptake of Cobalt in Common Plants and Vegetables
Authors:
- Students:
- Drazen Gierman
- Michael Haughey
- Aleksa Kirkus
- Maggie Militello
- Katelyn Parent
- Devin Shah
- Gianna Vicario
- Humza Zohair
- Teachers:
- Erin Horan
- Mentors:
- Olga Antipova (Argonne National Laboratory, XSD-MIC)
- George Sterbinsky (Argonne National Laboratory, XSD-SPC)
Advanced Photon Source Sector 2: Microscopy; Advanced Photon Source Sector 9: Spectroscopy Group
The presence of cobalt in soil samples from North Wales, Cuba, Northwest Spain, and the Copperbelt of Africa drew the attention of the Federal Food and Drug Administration Agency as well as the World Health Organization, due to the toxicity associated with this element. This year the Lemont High School Exemplary Student Research Program student researchers participated in testing, observation, and analysis of plant uptake of cobalt to determine the long-term impacts of element toxicity and its relation to plant vitality. It is essential to understand the toxicity of cobalt in ground-rooted plants.