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Title: Environmental parameters controlling microbial activities in terrestrial subsurface environments

Abstract

This project was begun in July 1988 as part of Phase I of the Deep Microbiology Subprogram. At this time, the Subprogram was preparing for sampling near the Savannah River Site (SRS) from what was being termed the Investigator's Hole.'' This was the fourth hole drilled for sampling in the coastal plain sediments at a site near the SRS. Since there was a possibility of sampling from the saline Triassic basin in the deeper regions in this fourth hole, there was particular interest in quantifying halotolerant microorganisms from these samples and in determining the responses of subsurface microbes to a range of soft concentrations. Further interest in the soft tolerances of microbes from these coastal sediments arose from the fact that all of these sediments were deposited under marine conditions. It was also anticipated that samples would be available from the shallow unsaturated (vadose) zone at this site, so there was interest in quantifying microbial responses to matric water potential as well as solute water potential. The initial objectives of this research project were to: characterize microbial communities in a saline aquifer; determine the potential for microbial metabolism of selected organic compounds in a saline aquifers; characterize microbial communities inmore » unsaturated subsurface materials (vadose zones); and determine the potential for microbial metabolism of selected organic compounds in unsaturated subsurface materials (vadose zones). Samples were collected from the borehole during a period extending from August to October 1988. A total of nine samples were express shipped to New Mexico Tech for analyses. These were all saturated zone samples from six different geological formations. Water contents and water potentials were measured at the time of sample arrival.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (United States). Dept. of Biology
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
7288819
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/60711-T1
ON: DE92018746
DOE Contract Number:  
FG04-88ER60711
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; MICROORGANISMS; PHYSIOLOGY; TOLERANCE; AQUIFERS; BOREHOLES; METABOLISM; PSEUDOMONAS; SALTS; SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT; TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS; UNDERGROUND; BACTERIA; CAVITIES; ECOSYSTEMS; LEVELS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; US AEC; US DOE; US ERDA; US ORGANIZATIONS; 540210* - Environment, Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-); 550700 - Microbiology; 550500 - Metabolism

Citation Formats

Kieft, T L. Environmental parameters controlling microbial activities in terrestrial subsurface environments. United States: N. p., 1990. Web. doi:10.2172/7288819.
Kieft, T L. Environmental parameters controlling microbial activities in terrestrial subsurface environments. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/7288819
Kieft, T L. 1990. "Environmental parameters controlling microbial activities in terrestrial subsurface environments". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/7288819. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/7288819.
@article{osti_7288819,
title = {Environmental parameters controlling microbial activities in terrestrial subsurface environments},
author = {Kieft, T L},
abstractNote = {This project was begun in July 1988 as part of Phase I of the Deep Microbiology Subprogram. At this time, the Subprogram was preparing for sampling near the Savannah River Site (SRS) from what was being termed the Investigator's Hole.'' This was the fourth hole drilled for sampling in the coastal plain sediments at a site near the SRS. Since there was a possibility of sampling from the saline Triassic basin in the deeper regions in this fourth hole, there was particular interest in quantifying halotolerant microorganisms from these samples and in determining the responses of subsurface microbes to a range of soft concentrations. Further interest in the soft tolerances of microbes from these coastal sediments arose from the fact that all of these sediments were deposited under marine conditions. It was also anticipated that samples would be available from the shallow unsaturated (vadose) zone at this site, so there was interest in quantifying microbial responses to matric water potential as well as solute water potential. The initial objectives of this research project were to: characterize microbial communities in a saline aquifer; determine the potential for microbial metabolism of selected organic compounds in a saline aquifers; characterize microbial communities in unsaturated subsurface materials (vadose zones); and determine the potential for microbial metabolism of selected organic compounds in unsaturated subsurface materials (vadose zones). Samples were collected from the borehole during a period extending from August to October 1988. A total of nine samples were express shipped to New Mexico Tech for analyses. These were all saturated zone samples from six different geological formations. Water contents and water potentials were measured at the time of sample arrival.},
doi = {10.2172/7288819},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7288819}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}