Microbiology of subsurface environments: Proceedings second investigators' meeting

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6129483

The agenda of this meeting was to provide for: (1) general reports by the principal investigators on the initial scientific findings from the Savannah River Site cores; (2) a feedback session during which the principal investigators and others in attendance can provide a critique on how the program can be improved; (3) presentations by scientists on research that may be related to the program. The preliminary scientific results indicate that a diverse, metabolically active microbial community is present in unconsolidated materials to depths of 400 meters below the surface of the Savannah River study site. A thorough characterization of samples revealed that deep subsurface environments are inhabited by microorganisms that range from denitrifying, sulfate-reducing, and methanogenic bacteria to aerobic heterotrophs, autotrophs, fungi, and protozoa. These results have implications in the use of indigenous microorganisms for biological decontamination of deep aquifers or as a biobarrier to contaminant movement, development of strategies to cope with health problems arising from contamination of aquifers by pathogenic microorganisms, reduction of biocorrosion of waste containers planned for storage in deep subsurface environments, and as a source of new organisms or metabolic capabilities for biotechnological applications.

• Research Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC. Office of Health and Environmental Research
• OSTI ID: 6129483
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER-0312; CONF-860998-Summ.; ON: DE87013094
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510100* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DRILL CORES
HABITAT
MEETINGS
MICROORGANISMS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEDIMENTS
SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENTS