Editing Americium (section)

==Biological aspects==
Americium is an artificial element of recent origin, and thus does not have a [[dietary element|biological requirement]].<ref>Toeniskoetter, Steve; Dommer, Jennifer and Dodge, Tony [http://umbbd.ethz.ch/periodic/elements/am.html The Biochemical Periodic Tables – Americium], University of Minnesota, Retrieved 28 November 2010</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=2439|author=Dodge, C.J.|title=Role of Microbes as Biocolloids in the Transport of Actinides from a Deep Underground Radioactive Waste Repository|journal=Radiochim. Acta |date=1998|volume=82|pages=347–354|doi=10.1524/ract.1998.82.special-issue.347|s2cid=99777562|display-authors=etal}}</ref> It is harmful to [[life]]. It has been proposed to use bacteria for removal of americium and other [[heavy metals]] from rivers and streams. Thus, [[Enterobacteriaceae]] of the genus ''[[Citrobacter]]'' precipitate americium ions from aqueous solutions, binding them into a metal-phosphate complex at their cell walls.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1574-6976.1994.tb00109.x|last1=MacAskie|first1=L. E.|last2=Jeong|first2=B. C.|last3=Tolley|first3=M. R. |title=Enzymically accelerated biomineralization of heavy metals: application to the removal of americium and plutonium from aqueous flows|journal=FEMS Microbiology Reviews|volume=14|issue=4|pages=351–67|date=1994|pmid=7917422|doi-access=free}}</ref> Several studies have been reported on the [[biosorption]] and [[bioaccumulation]] of americium by bacteria<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1097/00004032-198601000-00007|last1=Wurtz|first1=E. A.|last2=Sibley|first2=T. H.|last3=Schell|first3=W. R.|title=Interactions of Escherichia coli and marine bacteria with 241Am in laboratory cultures|journal=Health Physics|volume=50|issue=1|pages=79–88|date=1986|pmid=3511007|bibcode=1986HeaPh..50...79W }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Francis, A.J.|title=Role of Bacteria as Biocolloids in the Transport of Actinides from a Deep Underground Radioactive Waste Repository|journal= Radiochimica Acta|date=1998|volume=82|pages= 347–354|osti=2439|display-authors=etal|doi=10.1524/ract.1998.82.special-issue.347|s2cid=99777562}}</ref> and fungi.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Liu|first1=N.|last2=Yang|first2=Y.|last3=Luo|first3=S.|last4=Zhang|first4=T.|last5=Jin|first5=J.|last6=Liao|first6=J.|last7=Hua|first7=X.|title=Biosorption of 241Am by Rhizopus arrihizus: preliminary investigation and evaluation|journal=Applied Radiation and Isotopes|volume=57|issue=2|pages=139–43|date=2002|pmid=12150270|doi=10.1016/s0969-8043(02)00076-3}}</ref> In the laboratory, both americium and curium were found to support the growth of [[methylotroph]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Remick |first1=Kaleigh |last2=Helmann |first2=John D. |title=The Elements of Life: A Biocentric Tour of the Periodic Table |journal=Advances in Microbial Physiology |publisher=PubMed Central |date=30 January 2023 |volume=82 |pages=1–127 |doi=10.1016/bs.ampbs.2022.11.001 |pmid=36948652 |pmc=10727122 |isbn=978-0-443-19334-7}}</ref>