Microbial bloom formation in a high pH spent nuclear fuel pond
| Autor: | Christopher Boothman, David C. Sigee, Genevieve Boshoff, P. Jenkinson, Katherine Morris, Jonathan R. Lloyd, Lynn Foster, Sharon Ruiz-Lopez, Jon K. Pittman |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Cyanobacteria
Environmental Engineering 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Microorganism 010501 environmental sciences Photosynthesis 01 natural sciences Bioremediation RNA Ribosomal 16S Environmental Chemistry Extreme environment Ponds Waste Management and Disposal 0105 earth and related environmental sciences biology Ecology Microbiota fungi Eutrophication Hydrogen-Ion Concentration biology.organism_classification Pollution Spent nuclear fuel Microbial population biology Environmental science Bloom |
| Zdroj: | The Science of the total environment. 720 |
| ISSN: | 1879-1026 |
| Popis: | Microorganisms are able to colonise a wide range of extreme environments, including nuclear facilities. In this study, the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) a high pH, legacy spent nuclear fuel pond (SNFP) situated at Sellafield, Cumbria, UK, was studied. Despite the inhospitable conditions in the FGMSP, microorganisms can cause “blooms” within the facility which to date have not been studied. These microbial blooms significantly reduce visibility in the engineered facility, disrupting fuel retrieval operations and slowing decommissioning. The microbial community colonising the pond during two microbial bloom periods was determined by using physiological measurements and high throughput next generation sequencing techniques. In situ probes within the ponds targeting photosynthetic pigments indicated a cyanobacterial bloom event. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene data suggested that a single cyanobacterial genus was dominant during the bloom events, which was most closely related to Pseudanabaena sp. Comparisons between the microbial community of FGMSP and an adjacent SNFP that is periodically purged into the FGMSP, showed different community profiles. Data confirm the onset of the microbial blooms occurred when the pond purge rate was reduced, and blooms could be controlled by re-establishing the purging regime. The presence of Pseudanabaena sp. that can colonise the pond and dominate during bloom periods is notable since they have received little attention for their role in cyanobacterial bloom formation. This work also informs bioremediation efforts to treat waters contaminated with radionuclides, which could benefit from the use of cyanobacteria able to tolerate extreme environments and accumulate priority radionuclides. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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