Review of Microbial Responses to Abiotic Environmental Factors in the Context of the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

Review of Concrete Biodeterioration in Relation to Buried Nuclear Waste

“…The referenced literature provided here is expected to be useful in model development in order to predict the rates and degrees of microbial activity of specific biogeochemical niches as well as the microbial ecology as a whole. These data will be useful with existing predictive models [12]and in the development of new models that predict the rates and degrees of concrete biodegradation under various external factors.…”

“…A process based modeling approach will be useful in predicting microbial mediated reactive processes [11], like concrete biodegradation. Such an approach requires detailed characterization of the environment, materials and microbial activity [12] that would be deleterious to concrete structures.…”

“…Understanding how these factors contribute to biogeochemical changes and the dynamics of these processes is necessary in order to predict potential degrading microbial activity. Conditions such as: pH; Eh; carbon source and concentration; moisture level; terminal electron acceptor type, concentration and bioavailability, are not homogeneous in the subsurface but their gradation provides evidence of microbial transformations and a foundation to monitor the progress of microbial activity and potentially concrete biodegradation [12].…”

Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion of Nuclear Waste Containers

“…As for any corrosion process, the environmental conditions play an important role in determining whether microbes are active and whether MIC of the container will occur. 2,36 The evolution of the environment for the two general repository concepts considered in this paper will be described separately.…”

“…Environmental conditions at the container surface are generally more severe than those further away, making microbial activity on the container less likely. 2,3,9,23,36 For example, the temperature and radiation field are clearly highest at the container surface, as is the degree of desiccation of the environment. However, should microbes be active on the surface and a biofilm form, then the consequences for MIC can be expected to be more severe than if that microbial activity is occurring some distance away from the container.…”