Subsurface Microbial Hydrogen Cycling: Natural Occurrence and Implications for Industry.

Hydrogen is a key energy source for subsurface microbial processes, particularly in subsurface environments with limited alternative electron donors, and environments that are not well connected to the surface. In addition to consumption of hydrogen, microbial processes such as fermentation and nitrogen fixation produce hydrogen. Hydrogen is also produced by a number of abiotic processes including radiolysis, serpentinization, graphitization, and cataclasis of silicate minerals. Both biotic and abiotically generated hydrogen may become available for consumption by microorganisms, but biotic production and consumption are usually tightly coupled. Understanding the microbiology of hydrogen cycling is relevant to subsurface engineered environments where hydrogen-cycling microorganisms are implicated in gas consumption and production and corrosion in a number of industries including carbon capture and storage, energy gas storage, and radioactive waste disposal. The same hydrogen-cycling microorganisms and processes are important in natural sites with elevated hydrogen and can provide insights into early life on Earth and life on other planets. This review draws together what is known about microbiology in natural environments with elevated hydrogen, and highlights where similar microbial populations could be of relevance to subsurface industry.

Mineralogical comparisons of experimental results investigating the biological impacts on rock transport processes.

This study investigates the influence of microbes on fluid transport in sedimentary and igneous host rock environments. It particularly focuses on granodiorite rock (Äspö; Sweden) and mudstone (Horonobe; Japan) that were utilised during laboratory-based column experiments. The results showed that biofilms form on both rock types in low nutrient conditions. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy showed that the morphology of biofilaments varied from filamentous meshwork (in crushed granodiorite column experiments) to clusters of rod-like cells (fracture surfaces in mudstone). X-ray diffraction analysis of the fine fractions (<5 µm) revealed the formation of secondary clay mineral phases within the crushed Äspö granodiorite rock substrate only. The formation of secondary clay minerals appears to be enhanced when bacteria are present. All experiments showed biofilm formation, bacterial enhanced trapping of fines blocking off pore throats and/or secondary clay mineral formation. These observations illustrate the importance of bacteria on rock transport properties which will impact on the containment and migration of contaminants.

Changing patterns of radionuclide distribution in Irish Sea subtidal sediments.

This paper presents new data on the distribution of long-lived radionuclides in Irish Sea subtidal sediments, contaminated as a result of the BNFL Sellafield discharges. The results from different sampling campaigns in 1999 have been combined to assess the extent of radionuclide mobility relative to earlier surveys, in both the eastern and western Irish Sea areas, and to investigate changes in radionuclide distribution over time. The results appear to confirm the trend of continuing re-distribution and transfer of contamination away from the English coast. West of the Isle of Man, radionuclide concentrations and inventories have remained more or less constant. The inventory of radionuclides in sandy sediments in the eastern Irish Sea is still under-represented by current sampling, but could be improved by deeper and more extensive vibrocoring.