Plutonium(V/VI) Reduction by the Metal-Reducing Bacteria Geobacter metallireducens GS-15 and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

We examined the ability of the metal-reducing bacteria Geobacter metallireducens GS-15 and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to reduce Pu(VI) and Pu(V). Cell suspensions of both bacteria reduced oxidized Pu [a mixture of Pu(VI) and Pu(V)] to Pu(IV). The rate of plutonium reduction was similar to the rate of U(VI) reduction obtained under similar conditions for each bacteria. The rates of Pu(VI) and U(VI) reduction by cell suspensions of S. oneidensis were slightly higher than the rates observed with G. metallireducens. The reduced form of Pu was characterized as aggregates of nanoparticulates of Pu(IV). Transmission electron microscopy images of the solids obtained from the cultures after the reduction of Pu(VI) and Pu(V) by S. oneidensis show that the Pu precipitates have a crystalline structure. The nanoparticulates of Pu(IV) were precipitated on the surface of or within the cell walls of the bacteria. The production of Pu(III) was not observed, which indicates that Pu(IV) was the stable form of reduced Pu under these experimental conditions. Experiments examining the ability of these bacteria to use Pu(VI) as a terminal electron acceptor for growth were inconclusive. A slight increase in cell density was observed for both G. metallireducens and S. oneidensis when Pu(VI) was provided as the sole electron acceptor; however, Pu(VI) concentrations decreased similarly in both the experimental and control cultures.Effective bioremediation and waste management strategies at nuclear sites require an understanding of the fundamental biogeochemical processes that control the mobility of actinides. Microorganisms can influence the chemical speciation, valence state, and distribution of actinides in subsurface environments (2, 8, 12, 14). Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB), which derive energy by respiring oxidized metals (Fe and Mn in nature), may play a particularly important role in the mobility of actinides, since the oxidized forms of many radionuclides are more mobile than their reduced forms. Remedial strategies have been proposed to biomineralize radionuclides via direct reduction by DMRB or indirectly by DMRB by-products (9-11). Several DMRB have been shown to conserve energy for anaerobic growth via the reduction of U(VI) (9-11, 14).Plutonium redox chemistry is more complex than that of most other actinides. Under environmental conditions, plutonium can exist in the III, IV, V, and VI oxidation states, and multiple oxidation states can coexist simultaneously (4, 5). The oxidized species of plutonium [Pu(V) and Pu(VI)] generally are much more soluble than the reduced species (4). Predicting the influence DMRB have on plutonium biogeochemistry is complicated by the fact that both Pu(III) and Pu(IV) are possible products of biological reduction. Also, the presence of chelating ligands can greatly influence the oxidation state formed during reduction as well as the reduction rate. The reduction of oxidized Pu species to Pu(IV) is desired, because it is highly insoluble and not very mobile. However, in the presence of complexing ligands and under reducing conditions the production of Pu(III) is favored, and Pu(III) complexes can be quite soluble (2). The conditions leading to the reduction of Pu(V) and Pu(VI) need to be understood and controlled so that they do not lead to the production of Pu(III), if the biological reduction of Pu(V) or Pu(VI) is to be used as an effective remediation strategy.There is little information available concerning the influence DMRB have on plutonium biogeochemistry. Few previous studies have reported the biological reduction of Pu(IV) to Pu(III) (2, 7, 16). During the earlier experiments (16), the solubilization of PuO₂ increased approximately ∼40% in solutions with DMRB. In solutions with DMRB and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), approximately 90% of the available Pu was solubilized, but the production of Pu(III) was not observed in any of the cultures, either with or without NTA added (16). The enhanced solubility of Pu was attributed to Pu(IV) reduction, the solubilization of resultant Pu(III), and the reoxidation of Pu(III) to Pu(IV) with the NTA complexation of Pu(III). Since Pu(III) was not observed, the biological reduction of Pu(IV) was inferred from the data (16). The biological reduction of Pu(IV) to Pu(III) was first conclusively documented with the production of Pu(III) in monocultures of G. metallireducens GS-15 and S. oneidensis MR-1 both with and without the addition of a chelating agent (EDTA) (2). In experiments without EDTA, the aqueous concentration of Pu(III) in DMRB cultures was very low (<0.05 mM Pu) (2). The aqueous concentration of Pu(III) increased to approximately 60 to 80% (0.3 to 0.4 mM Pu) of the total Pu(IV) when EDTA was added to the cultures (2). To our knowledge, there are no published studies documenting the biological reduction of Pu(V) or Pu(VI) to either Pu(IV) or Pu(III). However, based on thermodynamics calculations, the reduction of Pu(V) and Pu(VI) by DMRB should be possible and yield greater energy for the bacteria than Pu(IV) reduction (2).The study presented here was designed first to assess the ability of G. metallireducens GS-15 and S. oneidensis MR-1 to reduce Pu(V) and Pu(VI) in monocultures under cell resting and growth conditions. Second, the aqueous and solid phases produced during the experiments were analyzed to determine the extent of biological reduction [i.e., to Pu(IV) or Pu(III)].     

Impact of the Fe(III)-reducing bacteria <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geobacter sulfurreducens</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Shewanella oneidensis</Emphasis> on the speciation of plutonium

Microbial bioreduction of radionuclides has been the subject of much recent interest, in particular as a method for the in situ bioremediation of uranium contaminated sites. However, there have been very few studies investigating the microbially mediated redox transformations of plutonium. The redox chemistry of Pu is complicated, but the dominant environmental oxidation state is insoluble Pu(IV). However, microbial reduction of Pu(IV) to more soluble Pu(III) may enhance migration of Pu in the environment. In this study we investigated the effect of two model metal-reducing bacteria, Geobacter sulfurreducens and Shewanella oneidensis, on the redox speciation of Pu. Our results show that in all cases, the presence of bacterial cells enhanced removal of Pu from solution. UV/Visible spectra of cells and precipitates formed (dissolved in 1 M HCl), showed that the sorbed and precipitated Pu was mainly Pu(IV), but Pu(III) was also present. The results suggest that the mechanism of interaction between Pu(IV) and the two microorganisms is initial sorption to the cell surface, followed by slow reduction. Although both bacteria could reduce Pu(IV) to Pu(III), there was no increase in the solution concentrations of Pu. This suggests that the potential reduction of sorbed Pu(IV) in sediments that have been stimulated to bioremediate U(VI) may not result in problematic mobilization of Pu(III).     

Culturing Selenastrum capricornutum (Chlorophyta) in a synthetic algal nutrient medium with defined mineral particulates

Algal nutrient studies in chemically-defined media typically employ a synthetic chelator to prevent iron hydroxide precipitation. Micronutrient-particulate interactions may, however, significantly affect chemical speciation and hence biovailability of these nutrients in natural waters. A technique is described by which Selenastrum capricornutum Printz (Chlorophyta) may be cultured in a medium where trace metal speciation (except iron) is controlled, not by organic chelation, but by sorption onto titanium dioxide. Application of this culturing protocol in conjunction with results from sorption studies of nutrient ions on mineral particles provides a means of studying biological impacts of sorptive processes in aquatic environments.     

<Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs, <Superscript>40</Superscript>K, <Superscript>238</Superscript>Pu, <Superscript>239+240</Superscript>Pu and <Superscript>90</Superscript>Sr in biological samples from King George Island (Southern Shetlands) in Antarctica

There are few data reported on radionuclide contamination in Antarctica. The aim of this paper is to report ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr and ^238,239+240Pu and ⁴⁰K activity concentrations measured in biological samples collected from King George Island (Southern Shetlands, Antarctica), mostly during 2001–2002. The samples included: bones, eggshells and feathers of penguin Pygoscelis papua, bones and feathers of petrel Daption capense, bones and fur of seal Mirounga leonina, algae Himantothallus grandifolius, Desmarestia anceps and Cystosphaera jacquinotii, fish Notothenia corriceps, sea invertebrates Amphipoda, shells of limpet Nacella concina, lichen Usnea aurantiaco-atra, vascular plants Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, fungi Omphalina pyxidata, moss Sanionia uncinata and soil. The results show a large variation in some activity concentrations. Samples from the marine environment had lower contamination levels than those from terrestrial ecosystems. The highest activity concentrations for all radionuclides were found in lichen and, to a lesser extent, in mosses, probably because lichens take up atmospheric pollutants and retain them. The only significant correlation (except for that expected between ²³⁸Pu and ^239+240Pu) was noted for moss and lichen samples between plutonium and ⁹⁰Sr. A tendency to a slow decrease with time seems to be occurring. Analyses of the activity ratios show varying fractionation between various radionuclides in different organisms. Algae were relatively more highly contaminated with plutonium and radiostrontium, and depleted with radiocesium. Feathers had the lowest plutonium concentrations. Radiostrontium and, to a lesser extent, Pu accumulated in bones. The present low intensity of fallout in Antarctic has a lower ²³⁸Pu/^239+240Pu activity ratio than that expected for global fallout.     

Plutonium at the ecosystems of impact zone the Beloyarsk NPP

The distribution of the plutonium at the ecosystems of impact zone the Beloyarsk NPP was studied. Higher quantity of Pu (to 500 Bq/m2) was revealed in the bottom sediments of the Olkhovsk bog where low-level radioactive water of the Beloyarsk NPP have been discharged. The total amount of the radionuclide in a soil cover did not exceed 140 Bq/m2. The contribution of the Beloyarsk NPP to contamination of the investigated ecosystems was accounted with using ratio 238Pu/239.240Pu. It was 64.1-99.3% both in the bottom sediments and soils.     

Removing radionuclides from wound fluids using chemical speciation and chelation lavage

Abstract

The relative efficacy of a range of chelating agents for dissolving plutonium(IV) hydroxide precipitated in wounds is assessed by computing the chemical speciation prevailing in the wound fluid and wound lavage solution. The most promising ligand for mobilisation is DTPA when used under mildly acid (approx. pH 6.4) conditions. If the Pu(IV) oxide has been formed, none of the ligands are effective.     

Plutonium(IV) Reduction by the Metal-Reducing Bacteria Geobacter metallireducens GS15 and Shewanella oneidensis MR1

The bacterial reduction of actinides has been suggested as a possible remedial strategy for actinide-contaminated environments, and the bacterial reduction of Pu(VI/V) has the potential to produce highly insoluble Pu(IV) solid phases. However, the behavior of plutonium with regard to bacterial reduction is more complex than for other actinides because it is possible for Pu(IV) to be further reduced to Pu(III), which is relatively more soluble than Pu(IV). This work investigates the ability of the metal-reducing bacteria Geobacter metallireducens GS15 and Shewanella oneidensis MR1 to enzymatically reduce freshly precipitated amorphous Pu(IV) (OH)₄ [Pu(IV)(OH)_4(am)] and soluble Pu(IV)(EDTA). In cell suspensions without added complexing ligands, minor Pu(III) production was observed in cultures containing S. oneidensis, but little or no Pu(III) production was observed in cultures containing G. metallireducens. In the presence of EDTA, most of the Pu(IV)(OH)_4(am) present was reduced to Pu(III) and remained soluble in cell suspensions of both S. oneidensis and G. metallireducens. When soluble Pu(IV)(EDTA) was provided as the terminal electron acceptor, cell suspensions of both S. oneidensis and G. metallireducens rapidly reduced Pu(IV)(EDTA) to Pu(III)(EDTA) with nearly complete reduction within 20 to 40 min, depending on the initial concentration. Neither bacterium was able to use Pu(IV) (in any of the forms used) as a terminal electron acceptor to support growth. These results have significant implications for the potential remediation of plutonium and suggest that strongly reducing environments where complexing ligands are present may produce soluble forms of reduced Pu species.     

The effect of X rays, DTPA, and aspirin on the absorption of plutonium from the gastrointestinal tract of rats

To measure the effect of radiation on plutonium transport, rats that were exposed to 250-kVp X rays were given 238Pu 3 days afterwards by either gavage or injection into a ligated segment of the duodenum. In a second group of experiments, rats were either injected intraduodenally with 238Pu-DTPA or administered the chelate intravenously and the 238Pu by gavage. In a third experiment, rats that had been gavaged with 200 or 400 mg/kg/day of aspirin for 2 days were injected intragastrically with 238Pu nitrate. Results of the first experiment showed a dose-dependent increase in 238Pu absorption between 800 and 1500 rad of lower-body X irradiation. Intravenous or intraduodenal injections of DTPA caused a marked increase in 238Pu absorption but resulted in decreased plutonium deposition in the skeleton and liver. Retention of 238Pu in the skeleton of rats given aspirin was double that of controls, but the effect on plutonium absorption was less marked than that of DTPA.     

A biogeochemical framework for bioremediation of plutonium(V) in the subsurface environment

Accidental release of plutonium (Pu) from storage facilities in the subsurface environment is a concern for the safety of human beings and the environment. Given the complexity of the subsurface environment and multivalent state of Pu, we developed a quantitative biogeochemical framework for bioremediation of Pu(V)O(2) (+) in the subsurface environment. We implemented the framework in the biogeochemical model CCBATCH by expanding its chemical equilibrium for aqueous complexation of Pu and its biological sub-models for including Pu's toxicity and reduction reactions. The quantified framework reveals that most of the Pu(V) is speciated as free Pu(V)O(2) (+) ((aq)), which is a problem if the concentration of free Pu(V)O(2) (+) is ≥28?μM (the half-maximum toxicity value for bacteria able to reduce Pu(V) to Pu(III)PO(4(am))) or ≥250?μM (the full-toxicity value that takes the bioreduction rate to zero). The framework includes bioreduction of Fe(3+) to Fe(2+), which abiotically reduces Pu(V)O(2) (+) to Pu(IV) and then to Pu(III). Biotic (enzymatic) reduction of Pu(V)O(2) (+) directly to Pu(III) by Shewanella alga (S. alga) is also included in the framework. Modeling results also reveal that for formation of Pu(III)PO(4(am)), the desired immobile product, the concentration of coexisting model strong ligand-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-should be less than or equal to the concentration of total Pu(III).     

DGT-measured fluxes explain the chloride-enhanced cadmium uptake by plants at low but not at high Cd supply

The technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) has been shown to be a promising tool to assess metal uptake by plants in a wide range of soils. With the DGT technique, diffusion fluxes of trace metals through a diffusion layer towards a resin layer are measured. The DGT technique therefore mimics the metal uptake by plants if uptake is limited by diffusion of the free ion to the plant roots, which may not be the case at high metal supply. This study addresses the capability of DGT to predict cadmium (Cd) uptake by plants at varying Cd supply. To test the performance of DGT in such conditions, we used the chloride (Cl^?) enhancement effect, i.e. the increase in Cd solution concentrations—due to chloride complexation of Cd—and Cd uptake with increasing Cl^? concentrations, as previously characterized in pot, field and solution culture experiments. The uptake of Cd by spinach was assessed in soil amended with Cd (0.4–10.5 mg Cd kg^?1) and NaCl (up to 120 mM) in a factorial design. Treatments with NaNO₃ were included as a reference to correct for ionic strengths effects. The effect of Cl^? on the shoot Cd concentrations was significant at background Cd but diminished with increasing soil Cd. Increasing Cl^? concentrations increased the root area based Cd uptake fluxes by more than a factor of 5 at low soil Cd, but had no significant effect at high soil Cd. Short-term uptake of Cd in spinach from nutrient solutions confirmed these trends. In contrast, increasing Cl^? concentrations increased the DGT measured fluxes by a factor of 5 at all Cd levels. As a result, DGT fluxes were able to explain soil Cl^? effects on plant Cd concentrations at low but not at high Cd supply. This example illustrates under which conditions DGT mimics trace metal bioavailability. If biouptake is controlled by diffusive limitations, DGT should be a successful tool for predicting ion uptake across different conditions.     

Uptake and clearance of plutonium-238 from liver cells transplanted into fat pads of F344 rats

This research is directed toward understanding the role of liver cells and the liver environment in plutonium biokinetics. Animals injected with liver cells and control animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of 37 kBq (1 microCi) 238Pu citrate and were serially sacrificed 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 or 70 days later. Uptake, retention and distribution of Pu in intact liver and in liver cells growing in fat pads were determined. From these measurements, it was observed that the cells of the intact liver took up about twice as much 238Pu as liver cells transplanted into the fat pads of the same animal. The retention half-life was 8.3 days for the total activity in the liver, 20 days using tracks/cell measurements in the liver and 16 days for the tracks/cell measurements in the liver cells translocated to fat pads. When the data on tracks/cell were standardized relative to the amount of Pu present at 5 days after the injection, there was no significant difference between the retention of Pu in liver cells from intact animals and liver cells transplanted into the fat pads. About 20 per cent of the 5-day Pu liver burden in both liver cells and liver cells transplanted into fat pads was retained at 70 days. The smaller retention and clearance for liver cells in different environments indicate that uptake and clearance of Pu from the body is dependent, to a major extent, upon hepatocyte function.     

模拟水生态系统及其在环境研究中的应用

随着70年代污染生态毒理学的发展,微宇宙作为评价化学品的环境影响的有力工具日益受到重视。由于从点源和非点源释放的化学物质可经直接或间接途径进入水生态系统,水生微宇宙在环境研究中的应用发展很快。早期的研究工作侧重于化学污染物在水环境的归宿。自70年代末以来,研究注意力逐渐集中于有毒物质在水生态系统内不同生物学组织水平上的生态学效应。本文分下列4个方面进行述评:(1)关于模拟生态系统的若干基本概念;(2)应用于环境研究的不同类型水生微宇宙;(3)尚有争议的若干问题;(4)水生微宇宙技术应用的新动向和展望。     

Bioavailability of organic chemicals in the aquatic environment

• 1.1. Bioavailability in the aquatic environment can be defined as the external availability of a chemical to an organism. The availability of sediment-sorbed chemicals to organisms is a particularly important aspect of this phenomena.
• 2.2. Various experiments described in the literature, such as toxicity and accumulation experiments, have investigated the influence of suspended sediment in the aqueous phase on bioavailability.
• 3.3. The bioavailability of a chemical appears to be influenced by the chemical, the sediment, and the organism being examined. Thus, describing “the bioavailability” of a chemical in the aquatic environment is not a simple process.

     

Bioavailability of organic chemicals in the aquatic environment.

1. Bioavailability in the aquatic environment can be defined as the external availability of a chemical to an organism. The availability of sediment-sorbed chemicals to organisms is a particularly important aspect of this phenomena. 2. Various experiments described in the literature, such as toxicity and accumulation experiments, have investigated the influence of suspended sediment in the aqueous phase on bioavailability. 3. The bioavailability of a chemical appears to be influenced by the chemical, the sediment, and the organism being examined. Thus, describing "the bioavailability" of a chemical in the aquatic environment is not a simple process.     

A field facility to simulate climate warming and increased nutrient supply in shallow aquatic ecosystems

Global warming and excess nitrogen deposition can exert strong impacts on aquatic populations, communities, and ecosystems. However, experimental data to establish clear cause-and-effect relationships in naturally complex field conditions are scarce in aquatic environments. Here, we describe the design and performance of a unique outdoor enclosure facility used to simulate warming, increased nitrogen supply, and both factors combined in a littoral freshwater wetland dominated by common reed, Phragmites australis. The experimental system effectively simulated a 2.8 °C climate warming scenario over an extended period, capturing the natural temperature variations in the wetland at diel and seasonal scales with only small deviations. Excess nitrogen supply enhanced nitrate concentrations especially in winter when it was associated with increased concentration of ammonium and dissolved organic carbon. Nitrogen also reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations, particularly in the summer. Importantly, by stimulating biological activity, warming enhanced the nitrogen uptake capacity of the wetland during the winter, emphasizing the need for multifactorial global change experiments that examine both warming and nitrogen loading in concert. Establishing similar experiments across broad environmental gradients holds great potential to provide robust assessments of the impacts of climate change on shallow aquatic ecosystems.     

Speciation of trace element compounds in samples of biota from marine ecosystems

Abstract

The toxicity, mobility, bioavailability and bioaccumulation of metals are dependent on the particular physico-chemical form in which the element occurs in the environment. Special attention has been paid to metals which are essential for the proper functioning of organisms if present in appropriate amounts but are toxic if in excess (i.e. Se, Cr), and also to non-essential elements (i.e. Hg, Pb, Cd, Sn and As). To assess the potential hazard to the health of marine organisms, qualitative and quantitative analyses of metal species accumulating along the food chain needs to be carried out. This paper reviews the available information on the speciation of trace elements in the food chain in marine ecosystems and the analytical tools used for acquiring reliable information in this field. Advantages and limitations of commonly used techniques indicate that all metal species in different samples need diverse extraction, separation and detection conditions. Although not recommending which procedure is the most suitable to determine a given compound, speciation analysis has the potential to be a powerful tool for the identification of trace element species in biological samples.     

Joint Russian—Finnish study of radioactive contamination in the NW part of Lake Ladoga

In August 1992 a joint Russian-Finnish expedition was arranged to the NW part of Lake Ladoga to study radioactive contamination in the region. Special attention was paid to the area surrounding the Heinämaa Islands, where the wreck of the former mine carrier ship Kit had been lying about 30 years before it was moved to Novaya Zemlya in 1991. During this period the wreck had been used as a store for radioactive waste containing principally ⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁷Cs and ^239,24OPu. Lake water, bottom sediment and some biological samples were collected for strontium, plutonium and gammaspectrometric analyses. In all the samples the radioactivity concentrations were very low, indicating radioactive contamination of about the same level as caused by global fallout in the 1960's and the Chernobyl fallout in the area. Only in two water samples taken close to the former site of the wreck slightly elevated ^239,240Pu concentrations were detected. The great water volume of Lake Ladoga and effective water exchange at the wreck site may explain the very low levels of radioactive wastes detected in the aquatic environment.     

Environmental DNA detection of aquatic invasive plants in lab mesocosm and natural field conditions

Aquatic invasive plant species cause negative impacts to economies and ecosystems worldwide. Traditional survey methods, while necessary, often do not result in timely detections of aquatic invaders, which can be cryptic, difficult to identify, and exhibit very rapid growth and reproduction rates. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a relatively new method that has been used to detect multiple types of animals in freshwater and marine ecosystems through tissues naturally shed from the organism into the water column or sediment. While eDNA detection has proven highly effective in the detection of aquatic animals, we know less about the efficacy of eDNA as an effective surveillance tool for aquatic plants. To address this disparity, we designed mesocosm experiments with Elodea species to determine the ability to detect accumulation and degradation of the DNA signal for aquatic plants, followed by field surveillance of the highly invasive Hydrilla verticillata in freshwaters across several U.S. geographic regions. In both lab and field experiments, we designed a high sensitivity quantitative PCR assay to detect the aquatic plant species. In both experiments, plant eDNA detection was successful; we saw accumulation of DNA when plants were introduced to tanks and a decrease in DNA over time after plants were removed. We detected eDNA in the field in areas of known Hydrilla distribution. Employing eDNA detection for aquatic plants will strengthen efforts for early detection and rapid response of invaders in global freshwater ecosystems.     

The gastrointestinal absorption of organically bound forms of plutonium in fed and fasted hamsters

Values of about 0.005-0.01 per cent were obtained for the absorption in fed hamsters of plutonium ingested as Pu4+ citrate, isocitrate, phytate and malate complexes and Pu3+ ascorbate compared with about 0.003-0.004 per cent for Pu4+ nitrate. Replacing drinking water with tea did not affect the result for Pu4+ nitrate. Fasting hamsters for 8 h before the administration of plutonium citrate increased absorption to 0.1-0.2 per cent. An extra period of fasting for 4 h after administration did not lead to a further increase in absorption. Similar values were also obtained when plutonium citrate was administered after a 24 h fast, followed either by immediate access to food or a further 4 h fast. In hamsters fasted for 24 h before administration of either Pu3+ ascorbate or Pu4+ nitrate, about 6-7 per cent of the ingested plutonium was retained in the gastrointestinal tract after one week. At three weeks after ingestion of Pu3+ ascorbate, gastrointestinal retention had fallen 100-fold without an increase in absorption.     

Predicting Species Cover of Marine Macrophyte and Invertebrate Species Combining Hyperspectral Remote Sensing,Machine Learning and Regression Techniques

In order to understand biotic patterns and their changes in nature there is an obvious need for high-quality seamless measurements of such patterns. If remote sensing methods have been applied with reasonable success in terrestrial environment, their use in aquatic ecosystems still remained challenging. In the present study we combined hyperspectral remote sensing and boosted regression tree modelling (BTR), an ensemble method for statistical techniques and machine learning, in order to test their applicability in predicting macrophyte and invertebrate species cover in the optically complex seawater of the Baltic Sea. The BRT technique combined with remote sensing and traditional spatial modelling succeeded in identifying, constructing and testing functionality of abiotic environmental predictors on the coverage of benthic macrophyte and invertebrate species. Our models easily predicted a large quantity of macrophyte and invertebrate species cover and recaptured multitude of interactions between environment and biota indicating a strong potential of the method in the modelling of aquatic species in the large variety of ecosystems.