Contact

Dr. Andrea Cherkouk

Head MICRONUC
a.cherkoukhzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2989

Social Media

Research group MICRONUC: MICRObial Activity in NUClear waste disposal

The safe storage of nuclear waste in deep geological repositories is a big challenge for our society. Comprehensive understanding of the migration of actinides within the respective host rock and the transport behavior after a possible release from the repository should is urgently needed. Detrimental effects of the radioactive waste on humans and the environment must be avoided over a very long-time period. Microorganisms, which exist in the host rock and backfill material, can survive under extreme conditions over a very long period of time. Their presence therein is of interest because microbial processes can affect the physical and geochemical conditions (e.g. pH, Eh, release of gases) on site. Through their activity, microorganisms can also influence other processes e.g. the corrosion of the container material and migration behavior of actinides, which is caused by the direct or indirect interaction of the microorganisms with the actinides. These processes depend on the type of microbial population, the actinide, and the geochemical circumstances.

The aim of this group is to study the microbial diversity and their activity in the potential host rocks (clay rock, salt rock, crystalline rock) and barrier materials (e.g. bentonite) for nuclear waste disposal and to evaluate their role in respect to the corrosion of container material and the migration of actinides in the geo- and biosphere.

Current research themes

Investigation of the microbial diversity in potential host rocks and barrier materials relevant for a nuclear waste repository in Germany by culture-independent (e.g. DNA/RNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene analysis,) as well as culture-dependent (enrichment and isolation of microorganisms) methods
Micro- and mesocosm experiments to investigate the microbial activity in the barrier material depending on different repository relevant conditions and their effect on the corrosion of container material
Characterization of the interaction mechanisms of microorganisms isolated from the different host rocks and barrier materials with actinides on a molecular level by applying a combination of different spectroscopies (e.g. Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy (TRLFS), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy) and microscopic techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in combination with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX).
Use of meta-omics techniques to investigate metabolic networks and the influence of the biosphere on the migration behavior of radionuclides

Projects

EURAD-MAGIC, NEA/EU-Projekt, Förderkennzeichen: 847593, Laufzeit: 01.06.2019-31.05.2024
EURAD-ConCorD, NEA/EU-Projekt, Förderkennzeichen: 847593, Laufzeit: 01.06.2021-31.05.2024
UMB-II/BMWi Projekt, Förderkennzeichen: 02E11870B, Laufzeit: 01.01.2021-30.06.2025

Team

Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Cherkouk Dr., Andrea	801/P356	2989	a.cherkoukhzdr.de
Kluge, Sindy	801/P219	3194	s.klugehzdr.de
Matschiavelli Dr., Nicole	801/P318	2759	n.matschiavellihzdr.de
Wei Dr., Ting-Shyang	801/P318	2759	t.weihzdr.de

Selected publications:

2024

Numerical modeling and simulation of microbially induced calcite precipitation on a cement surface at the pore scale

Yuan, T.; Cherkouk, A.; Fischer, C.

Advances in Water Resources 191(2024), 104761
DOI: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2024.104761

No signs for microbial influenced corrosion of cast iron and copper in bentonite microcosms after 400 days

Sushko, V.; Dressler, M.; Ting-Shyang Wei, S.; Neubert, T.; Kühn, L.; Cherkouk, A.; Stumpf, T.; Matschiavelli, N.

Chemosphere 364(2024), 143007
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143007

2023

Europium(III) as luminescence probe for interactions of a sulfate-reducing microorganism with potentially toxic metals

Hilpmann, S.; Moll, H.; Drobot, B.; Vogel, M.; Hübner, R.; Stumpf, T.; Cherkouk, A.

Related publications

Data publication: Europium(III) as luminescence probe for interactions of a …
ROBIS: 37168 HZDR-primary research data are used by this (Id 37162) publication
Data publication: Europium(III) as luminescence probe for interactions of a …
RODARE: 2357 HZDR-primary research data are used by this (Id 37162) publication

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 264(2023), 115474
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115474
Cited 1 times in Scopus

Presence of uranium(V) during uranium(VI) reduction by Desulfosporosinus hippei DSM 8344T

Hilpmann, S.; Roßberg, A.; Steudtner, R.; Drobot, B.; Hübner, R.; Bok, F.; Prieur, D.; Bauters, S.; Kvashnina, K.; Stumpf, T.; Cherkouk, A.

Related publications

Data publication: Presence of uranium(V) during uranium(VI) reduction by …
ROBIS: 34974 HZDR-primary research data are used by this (Id 34911) publication

Science of the Total Environment 875(2023), 162593
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162593
Cited 8 times in Scopus

2022

Microscopic and spectroscopic bioassociation study of uranium(VI) with an archaeal Halobacterium isolate

Hilpmann, S.; Bader, M.; Steudtner, R.; Müller, K.; Stumpf, T.; Cherkouk, A.

Related publications

Data publication: Microscopic and spectroscopic bioassociation study of …
ROBIS: 33002 HZDR-primary research data are used by this (Id 33000) publication

PLOS ONE 17(2022)1, e0262275
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262275
Cited 5 times in Scopus

2021

Bentonite alteration in batch reactor experiments with and without fertilizing agents: implications for the disposal of radioactive waste

Podlech, C.; Matschiavelli, N.; Peltz, M.; Kluge, S.; Arnold, T.; Cherkouk, A.; Meleshyn, A.; Grathoff, G.; Warr, L. N.

Minerals 11(2021), 932
DOI: 10.3390/min11090932
Cited 9 times in Scopus

Multisystem combined uranium resistance mechanisms and bioremediation potential of Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7: Transcriptomics and microscopic study

Pinel-Cabello, M.; Jroundi, F.; Lopez Fernandez, M.; Geffers, R.; Jarek, M.; Jauregui, R.; Link, A.; Vílchez-Vargas, R.; Merroun, M. L.

Journal of Hazardous Materials 405(2021), 123858
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123858
Cited 42 times in Scopus

2020

Presence of Bradyrhizobium sp. under continental conditions in Central Europe

Griebsch, A.; Matschiavelli, N.; Lewandowska, S.; Schmidtke, K.

Agriculture 10(2020)10, 446
DOI: 10.3390/agriculture10100446
Cited 8 times in Scopus

Molecular binding of Eu(III)/Cm(III) by Stenotrophomonas bentonitica and its impact on the safety of future geodisposal of radioactive waste

Ruiz-Fresneda, M. A.; Lopez Fernandez, M.; Martinez-Moreno, M. F.; Cherkouk, A.; Ju-Nam, Y.; Ojeda, J. J.; Moll, H.; Merroun, M. L.

Environmental Science & Technology 54(2020), 15180-15190
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02418
Cited 18 times in Scopus

2019

The year-long development of microorganisms in uncompacted Bavarian bentonite slurries at 30 °C and 60 °C

Matschiavelli, N.; Kluge, S.; Podlech, C.; Standhaft, D.; Grathoff, G.; Ikeda-Ohno, A.; Warr, L.; Chukharkina, A.; Arnold, T.; Cherkouk, A.

Environmental Science & Technology 53(2019)17, 10514-10524
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02670
Cited 18 times in Scopus

Association of Eu(III) and Cm(III) onto an extremely halophilic archaeon

Bader, M.; Moll, H.; Steudtner, R.; Lösch, H.; Drobot, B.; Stumpf, T.; Cherkouk, A.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26(2019), 9352-9364
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04165-7
Cited 13 times in Scopus

Microbial diversity in an arid, naturally saline environment

Bachran, M.; Kluge, S.; Lopez-Fernandez, M.; Cherkouk, A.

Microbial Ecology 78(2019)2, 494-505
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1301-2
Cited 39 times in Scopus

2018

Impact of Haloarchaea on speciation of uranium – a multi-spectroscopic approach

Bader, M.; Rossberg, A.; Steudtner, R.; Drobot, B.; Großmann, K.; Schmidt, M.; Musat, N.; Stumpf, T.; Ikeda-Ohno, A.; Cherkouk, A.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 28021) publication

Environmental Science and Technology 52(2018)21, 12895-12904
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02667
Cited 16 times in Scopus

Comparative analysis of uranium bioassociation with halophilic bacteria and archaea

Bader, M.; Müller, K.; Foerstendorf, H.; Schmidt, M.; Simmons, K.; Swanson, J. S.; Reed, D. T.; Stumpf, T.; Cherkouk, A.

PLOS ONE 13(2018)1, e0190953
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190953
Cited 29 times in Scopus