Environmental Biology
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Expertise
The group Enviromental Biology has a longstanding experience (since 1976) in the field of heavy metal uptake by plants, the effects of toxic metal concentrations on plants and the transfer of metals to the food chain. The group was involved in several projects concerning the zinc, cadmium and lead contamination in the region Balen, Lommel, Overpelt in the the zinc smelter contaminated area in the north-east of Belgium. They started with laboratory and in situ studies on phytoremediation (phytostabilization and phytoextraction) of heavy metal contaminated soils in 1985 and is involved in several national and international projects and collaborations in this field. Phytoremediation of organics also belongs to the research area of the group, especially on nitroaromatics, oils and BTEX. Special attention is paid to the interaction between plants and plant-associated micro-organisms (mycorrhiza and bacteria).
Biological tests for the evaluation of soil toxicity were developed. These activities are practical applications based on the fundamental research program of the laboratory. The latter is concentrated on the (eco-)physiological, cellular and molecular effects and sequence of events after application of pollutants to plants and mycorrhiza. Studies of defence and tolerance mechanisms against heavy metals are also part of the fundamental research program. Special attention is paid to subcellular localisation of both contaminants and defence systems. This research program is performed on several plant species, from which certain species are genetically transformed.
Keywords
BIOREMEDIATION, CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF TOXICITY, HEAVY METALS, METAL STRESS, METAL TOLERANCE, MYCORRHIZA, PHYTOREMEDIATION, PLANT ASSOCIATED BACTERIA, SOIL CONTAMINATION
Responsible
Jaco VANGRONSVELD
Staff members
- Gino ACHTEN
- Dirk ADANG
- Rossella ALFANO
- Dewei AN
- Maria Rosalva ANGULO REYES
- Natascha ARNAUTS
- Kathrin BARTH
- Natalie BEENAERTS
- Ana Inês BENTO FONSECA E SILVA
- Arton BEQIRI
- Daphne BERDEN
- Esmee BIJNENS
- Martijn BOLLEN
- Greet BOLLEN
- Eva BONGAERTS
- Izabela BORKOWSKA
- Laura BOS CALDERO
- Rein BRAEKEN
- Johan CEUSTERS
- Iva CHOLAKOVA
- Babangida CHORI
- Julie CLAES
- Vera CLAESSENS
- Jasmine COLEMONT
- Jan COLPAERT
- Charlotte COSEMANS
- Hanne CROONS
- Yanet CRUZ PORTORREAL
- Ann CUYPERS
- Patrick DE BOEVER
- Thais DE RUYTER
- Stefanie DE SMET
- Alain DE VOCHT
- Fatima DEN OUDEN
- Sarah DESCAMPS
- Liesa ENGELEN
- Nasrin ESTEKI
- Nick GIESBERTS
- Laura GOMEZ HERRERA
- Mario Juan GORDILLO PEREZ
- Kristof GROSJEAN
- Mahilet HABTE
- Shenglei HAO
- Sophie HENDRIX
- Janneke HOGERVORST
- Nele HOREMANS
- Joseph HOTEKPO
- Weilin HUANG
- Michiel HUYBRECHTS
- Siebe INDESTEGE
- Chara IOANNOU
- Verena IVEN
- Febe JANSSEN
- Karolina JAROS
- Marijke JOZEFCZAK
- Houman KAHROBA
- Nico KOEDAM
- Agata KUMOR
- Kris KUNNEN
- Wim KUYPERS
- Pol LAANEN
- Tori LANGILL
- Qian LI
- Qingkui LI
- Gabriel LLAURADO MAURY
- Riccardo MANCINELLI
- Dries MARTENS
- Anneleen MASSOT
- Amber MERTENS
- Joline MILLEN
- Shradha MISHRA
- Maria MORENO DRUET
- Tim NAWROT
- Kristof NEVEN
- Olivier NOUWEN
- Yadenis ORTEGA DIAZ
- Sam OTTOY
- Evy PAULY
- Ingeborg PECQUEUR
- Kristine PETROSYAN
- Martien PEUSENS
- Michelle PLUSQUIN
- Michael PORCU
- Carine PUT
- Keerthana RAMANATHAN
- Leen RASKING
- Brigitte REIMANN
- Tony REMANS
- Eleni RENAERS
- Francois RINEAU
- Harry ROELS
- Rene SHAEFFER
- Wouter SILLEN
- Hanne SLEURS
- Anna SOERENSEN
- Nadia SOUDZILOVSKAIA
- Laure STEENAERTS
- Bram SURKYN
- Xander SWINNEN
- Emma THEERENS
- Sofie THIJS
- Seb TOMBEUR
- Imke TOMSIN
- Felegush TRFIE
- Dominika TYLUS
- Charlotte VAN DER STUKKEN
- Isabelle VAN DYCK
- Thessa VAN PEE
- Kenneth VANBRABANT
- Isabeau VANBUEL
- Magda VANDELOO
- Doris VANDEPUTTE
- Simon VANDERSANDEN
- Stephanie VANDIONANT
- Maartje VANGENEUGDEN
- Jaco VANGRONSVELD
- Rik VERDONCK
- Lore VERHEYEN
- Stijn VOS
- Congrong WANG
- Katrien WITTERS