Change in bacterial community structure during in situ biostimulation of subsurface sediment cocontaminated with uranium and nitrate.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have demonstrated that metal-reducing microorganisms can effectively promote the precipitation and removal of uranium from contaminated groundwater. Microbial communities were stimulated in the acidic subsurface by pH neutralization and addition of an electron donor to wells. In single-well push-pull tests at a number of treated sites, nitrate, Fe(III), and uranium were extensively reduced and electron donors (glucose, ethanol) were consumed. Examination of sediment chemistry in cores sampled immediately adjacent to treated wells 3.5 months after treatment revealed that sediment pH increased substantially (by 1 to 2 pH units) while nitrate was largely depleted. A large diversity of 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from subsurface sediments, including species from the

SUBMITTER: North NN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC492330 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature