The microbiology of natural analogue sites

Butterworth, Sarah Jane; Stroes-Gascoyne, S.; Lloyd, Jonathan R.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818695-4.00002-2

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 37 publications

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“…There are still many uncertainties regarding the full potential of GDF microbial communities as their diversity and metabolic capacity are difficult to constrain given the geological timescales involved and the geochemical complexity of a GDF. However, we can begin to constrain metabolic capabilities with GDF environments through our current understanding of microbial adaptations to extremes in a wider range of analogous environments (Butterworth et al 2021 ). This review explores the extremes that microbial life may have to overcome in a GDF and what adaptations may allow them to colonise such an environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extremophilic microbial metabolism and radioactive waste disposal

Butterworth,

Barton,

Lloyd

2023

Extremophiles

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Decades of nuclear activities have left a legacy of hazardous radioactive waste, which must be isolated from the biosphere for over 100,000 years. The preferred option for safe waste disposal is a deep subsurface geological disposal facility (GDF). Due to the very long geological timescales required, and the complexity of materials to be disposed of (including a wide range of nutrients and electron donors/acceptors) microbial activity will likely play a pivotal role in the safe operation of these mega-facilities. A GDF environment provides many metabolic challenges to microbes that may inhabit the facility, including high temperature, pressure, radiation, alkalinity, and salinity, depending on the specific disposal concept employed. However, as our understanding of the boundaries of life is continuously challenged and expanded by the discovery of novel extremophiles in Earth’s most inhospitable environments, it is becoming clear that microorganisms must be considered in GDF safety cases to ensure accurate predictions of long-term performance. This review explores extremophilic adaptations and how this knowledge can be applied to challenge our current assumptions on microbial activity in GDF environments. We conclude that regardless of concept, a GDF will consist of multiple extremes and it is of high importance to understand the limits of polyextremophiles under realistic environmental conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extremophilic microbial metabolism and radioactive waste disposal

Butterworth,

Barton,

Lloyd

2023

Extremophiles

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Identifying Alkali-Silica Reaction in Cementitious Materials Using Volatilomics

Ideker,

Crawford,

Gustafson

et al. 2024

RILEM Bookseries

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Radioactive waste microbiology: predicting microbial survival and activity in changing extreme environments

Gregory,

Mackie,

Barnett

2024

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

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The potential for microbial activity to occur within the engineered barrier system (EBS) of a geological disposal facility (GDF) for radioactive waste is acknowledged by waste management organisations as it has the potential to affect many aspects of the safety functions of a GDF. Microorganisms within an EBS will be exposed to changing temperature, pH, radiation, salinity, saturation and availability of nutrient and energy sources, which can limit microbial survival and activity. Some of the limiting conditions are incorporated into GDF designs for safety reasons, including: the high pH of cementitious repositories, the limited pore space of bentonite-based repositories or the high salinity of GDFs in evaporitic geologies. Other environmental conditions such as elevated radiation, temperature and desiccation arise as a result of the presence of high heat generating waste (HHGW). Here, we present a comprehensive review of how environmental conditions in the EBS may limit microbial activity, covering HHGW and lower heat generating waste (LHGW) in a range of geological environments. We present data from the literature on the currently recognised limits to life for each of the environmental conditions described above, and nutrient availability to establish the potential for life in these environments. Using examples where each variable has been modelled for a particular GDF, we outline the times and locations when that variable can be expected to limit microbial activity. Finally, we show how this information for multiple variables can be used to improve our understanding of the potential for microbial activity to occur within the EBS of a GDF, and more broadly to understand microbial life in changing environments exposed to multiple extreme conditions.

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The microbiology of natural analogue sites

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

Extremophilic microbial metabolism and radioactive waste disposal

Extremophilic microbial metabolism and radioactive waste disposal

Identifying Alkali-Silica Reaction in Cementitious Materials Using Volatilomics

Radioactive waste microbiology: predicting microbial survival and activity in changing extreme environments

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