LONDON — Lena Ma, professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, received the Discovery 2001 Award from the Royal Geographical Society and Discovery Networks Europe during ceremonies in London Nov. 20.
Ma, an expert on the biochemistry of trace metals in UF’s soil and water science department, was recognized for discovering a fern that absorbs arsenic from contaminated soil. The award, which includes 5,000 British pounds to support her research program, was presented to Ma by Lucy Irvine, author of Castaway and other books.
“The Discovery 2001 Award recognizes the importance of science in extending knowledge on environments, cultures and societies, particularly interactions between people and the environment,” said Rita Gardner, director of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers in London.
“Lena Ma’s work is an example of how research can have a practical application on a global scale, helping many people who are at risk from contaminated land or water,” Gardner said.
Ma’s research on the first plant ever found to “hyper-accumulate” arsenic – a carcinogenic heavy metal often used as a pesticide – may prove useful in cleaning up thousands of sites contaminated by arsenic from industrial, mining, agricultural or other operations around the world.
Her breakthrough research was reported in the Feb. 2001 issue of Nature, an internationally recognized science journal.
Ma’s research found that the brake fern, Ptseris vittata, not only soaks up arsenic but does so with “amazing efficiency.” She measured arsenic levels as much as 200 times higher in the fern than the concentrations in contaminated soils where it was growing.
“Why it accumulates arsenic is a mystery,” she said, adding that future research will determine how the plant takes up, distributes and detoxifies the arsenic. The results could be used in the growing “phytoremediation” industry that uses plants to clean up toxic waste sites.
Ma, who joined the UF faculty in 1994, received her bachelor’s degree in 1985 from Shenyang Agricultural University in the Peoples Republic of China. She completed her master’s degree in 1988 and doctorate in 1991 at Colorado State University.
-30-
- By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-1773 x281 - Sources:
Alison Glazebrook a.glazebrook@rgs.org, 011-44-207-591-3006 (London)
Lena Ma lqma@ufl.edu, (352) 392-9063
0
