Objective After preliminary results obtained for the cap pigment of bay boletus, norbadione A, bandits ability to bind two caesium captions with a positively cooperative mechanism, the postdoctoral research project will start by the study of the exchange process between K+,the natural action bound to norbadione A, with Cs+. A very original combination ofmicrocalorimetry and electro spray mass spectrometry will be used to monitor and quantify this unusual alkali captions exchange. 13C and 133Cs NMR will provide further structural information on the K+ and Cs+ norbadione complexes in solution respectively. The accumulation of divalent heavy metals (Ni(II), Cod(II), Hg(II) and Pb(II)) in mushrooms has been often reported. Therefore the speciation of the corresponding complexes with norbadione A will be thoroughly examined using spectrophotometricand mass spectrometric methods in combination with classical potentiometer. Besidedimeric palinode-type pigments, monomer analogues are also present, sometimes enlarge amounts, in common edible mushrooms. Therefore, four of these catechu- orpyrogallol-type compounds will be studied. The strong binding properties of these moieties suggest the possible participation of Fe(III) or A1(III), transferred from the soils, in order to gather these monomer derivatives and to "mimic" norbadione A withpulvinone-type coordination sites available to chelae monovalent or divalent deleterious metals. The self-assembly mechanism of these polynuclear supramolecular edifices will be studied using a combination of analytical methods and kinetic techniques. This multidisciplinary research project is addressing challenging issues in terms of environmental problems and food quality and safety. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryorganic acidsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metalsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologynatural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrymass spectrometry Keywords Fungal pigments metal chelation in mushrooms radionuclides remediation of soils safety and quality of food toxic metals Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator UNIVERSITE LOUIS PASTEUR EU contribution No data Address Rue Blaise Pascal 4 STRASBOURG France See on map Total cost No data