A review. This research group is working towards understanding the fundamental physicochem. mechanisms of trace metal biouptake by aquatic microorganisms in natural systems. Research is currently focused on identifying under what conditions uptake fluxes are limited by phys. (e.g. diffusion) as opposed to biol. (transfer across biol. membrane) processes. In addn., the complexation of the trace metals is being examd. from both a thermodn. (stability) and kinetic (lability) perspective in order to elucidate its effect on the overall uptake flux. [on SciFinder (R)]