Contact
Antonio Newman Portela
a.newman-portela
hzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2720
Ph.D. projects
Investigation of the interactions of microorganisms with uranium (U) in anthropogenic contaminated waters as the basis for the development of bioremediation technology
Uranium (U) and its mining have historically been strongly related to East Germany. From the second half of the 20th century onwards, the Federal States of Saxony and Thuringia have been the scene of intense mining activity. The cessation of mining activities in 1990, has led to the generation of U contaminated areas. Nowadays, the upward trend in the design of novel methodologies that complement or even substitute conventional remediation technologies is thriving. Microorganisms offer an eco-friendly and efficient water remediation strategy for U through bioreduction or biomineralization.
The main aim of this thesis is to conduct physicochemical and microbiological characterization of two former U mines water in East Germany, with the objective of designing a strategy for in situ bioremediation of U(VI) from a U mine water by biostimulation of the native U reducing microbial community. To achieve this goal, a multidisciplinary approach has been adopted within the PhD thesis, combining molecular biology techniques (DNA and RNA extraction, analysis of 16S rRNA and ITS genes, next-generation sequencing (Illumina), and metatranscriptomic studies), analytical techniques (ICP-MS and HPIC), spectroscopic techniques (Cryo-TRLFS, EXAFS, and HERFD-XANES), and microscopic techniques (SEM, STEM-HAADF, and HRTEM). The multidisciplinary approach used would provide insights into the biogeochemical processes taken place in the biostimulation-based U bioremediation bioreactor which in turn help to optimise this eco-friendly and novel U removal strategy.
This PhD thesis is the fruit of a strong collaboration between the University of Granada and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf within the European project RADONORM and the European Radioecology Alliance.
