In Situ Immobilization of Uranium in Structured Porous Media via Biomineralization at the Fraction/Matrix Interface
The major objectives of the University of Alabama component of this project are to (1) characterize the chemical composition (mainly iron and uranium abundance and redox speciation) of FRC Area 2 sediments; (2) assess the potential for stimulation of microbial Fe(III) and U(VI) reduction in slurries of Area 2 sediments; and (3) analyze the response of microbial community structure to biostimulation, specifically with regard to the abundance and diversity of dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterial (DMRB) populations. As an inclusive working hypothesis, we anticipate that it will be possible to stimulate microbial metal reduction in Area 2 sediment depth strata containing substantial quantities of Fe(III) oxides and U(VI), and that a major enrichment in known DMRB (e.g. Geobacteraceae and related organisms) will take place in response to biostimulation. Information on rates of microbial metabolism, patterns of Fe/U biotransformation, and microbial community response obtained in the slurry experiments will be used to constrain preliminary numerical simulations of the field-scale biostimulation experiment, and to provide molecular (e.g. 16S rRNA/rDNA) targets for assessing the response of DMRB activity to in situ biostimulation. Our progress to date on the above objectives is summarized.
- Research Organization:
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI ID:
- 893684
- Report Number(s):
- NABIR-1020166-2004; R&D Project: NABIR 1020166; TRN: US0606069
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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