Changes of Bacterial Community Structure of a Uranium Mining Waste Pile Sample Induced by Additon of U(VI)


Changes of Bacterial Community Structure of a Uranium Mining Waste Pile Sample Induced by Additon of U(VI)

Geissler, A.; Selenska-Pobell, S.; Scheinost, A.

Bacteria can interact in different ways with uranium. Therefore, they play a major role in biogeochemical cycling of this element. Natural bacterial communities were studied of several different soil samples collected from the uranium mining waste pile Haberland near the town of Johanngeorgenstadt (Saxony, Germany). The 16S rDNA retrieval showed that the communities were predominated by members of -Proteobacteria and Holophaga/ Acidobacterium. In order to analyse the influence of U(VI) on the natural bacterial community structure, one of the studied soil samples, containing originally 40 mg/kg U, was supplemented with nearly 60 mg/kg U(VI) as uranyl nitrate. After four weeks of incubation, selective sequential extractions revealed, that most of the added U(VI) was weakly complexed, hence remained bioavailable. The predominant bacterial populations were shifted from -Proteobacteria and Holophaga/Acidobacterium to Pseudomonas sp., Arthrobacter sp. and Geobacter sp.. Column experiments are in progress in our laboratory, which will help to improve our understanding of the influence of U(VI) on the natural bacterial community. The influence of aeration was also studied on the changes of the bacterial community structure induced by the addition of U(VI).

  • Lecture (Conference)
    Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology IV, 11.-16.09.2005, Freiberg, Germany
  • Contribution to proceedings
    Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology IV, 11.-16.09.2005, Freiberg, Germany
    Uranium in the Environment. Mining Impact and Consequences (B.J. Merkel, A. Hasche-Berger, eds.), Berlin: Springer, 3-540-28363-3, 199-205

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Publ.-Id: 7051