Subsurface microbes capture uranium from groundwater

21 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

A new research study describes a previously unknown chemical process for removal of uranium from groundwater.

Deep in the bedrock, in an oxygen-free environment, microbes help in the process of turn uranium into “rock”. This finding could be an important tool to inhibit the spread of toxic uranium in groundwater.

Uranium is a radioactive element that occurs naturally in bedrock and is harmful to humans and ecosystems. Exposure via drinking water, for example, from wells drilled into bedrock, May cause kidney and reproductive effects, as well as DNA damage.

“Uranium-rich drinking water is a major global health concern. Inhibiting the spread of uranium in groundwater is a matter of great concern,” he says. it’s a statement Henrik Drake, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at Linnaeus University, Sweden, and lead author of the study.

In a 17-year experiment, the team of researchers explored deep holes drilled into bedrock and identified minerals that had trapped large amounts of uranium. It turned out that microbes living in an oxygen-free environment were the key to the process.

Microbes produce substances that help transform uranium so that it is more easily incorporated into minerals. This sink stabilizes the uranium and slows its further transport with groundwater.

Ivan Pidchenko, a postdoctoral fellow at Linnaeus University and lead author of the study, explains the discovery: “The findings suggest that natural bacteria affect uranium removal. Microbes contribute to forming sinks for toxic elements in the subsurface environment. This process has great potential to prevent the spread of hazardous elements in the environment.”

The results are important for the remediation of contaminated groundwater, but also for spent nuclear fuel repositories.

“Uranium is the main component of spent nuclear fuel that will be deposited in long-term geological storage in deep bedrock systems. Our finding is an additional element to the basis of long-term safety assessment of nuclear repositories. geological sites planned for construction in Sweden and elsewhere,” says Ivan Pidchenko.

The study is published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.