Promethium is not known to occur naturally on Earth and was first isolated from nuclear reactor waste. Bioaccumulation of promethium by freshwater algae has been described (Gileva, 1965) and the factors influencing promethium biosorption by Shewanella putrefaciens have been investigated (Pedersen, 1991).

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Gileva EA. Accumulation of chemical elements by freshwater algae. Tr Inst Biol Akad Nauk SSSR, Ural'sk Filial. 1965;45:5-31.

Pedersen K. Effect of cell number, pH and lanthanide concentration on the sorption of promethium by Shewanella putrefaciens. Radiochim Acta 1991;54:91-95.