Niche Partitioning of Microbial Communities at an Ancient Vitrified Hillfort: Implications for Vitrified Radioactive Waste Disposal Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA. School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Richland, WA, USA.
School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Richland, WA, USA.
Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
Chemical Process and Nuclear Measurements Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
Chemical Process and Nuclear Measurements Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA. School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
Arkeologerna, Geoarchaeological Laboratory, National Historical Museums (SHMM), Uppsala, Sweden.
Arkeologerna, Geoarchaeological Laboratory, National Historical Museums (SHMM), Uppsala, Sweden.
Arkeologerna, Geoarchaeological Laboratory, National Historical Museums (SHMM), Uppsala, Sweden.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
US Department of Energy, Office of River Protection, Richland, WA, USA.
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2021 (English) In: Geomicrobiology Journal, ISSN 0149-0451, E-ISSN 1521-0529, Vol. 38, no 1, p. 36-56Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Because microbes cannot be eliminated from radioactive waste disposal facilities, the consequences of bio-colonization must be understood. At a pre-Viking era vitrified hillfort, Broborg, Sweden, anthropogenic glass has been subjected to bio-colonization for over 1,500 years. Broborg is used as a habitat analogue for disposed radioactive waste glass to inform how microbial processes might influence long-term glass durability. Electron microscopy and DNA sequencing of surficial material from the Broborg vitrified wall, adjacent soil, and general topsoil show that the ancient glass supports a niche microbial community of bacteria, fungi, and protists potentially involved in glass alteration. Communities associated with the vitrified wall are distinct and less diverse than soil communities. The vitrified niche of the wall and adjacent soil are dominated by lichens, lichen-associated microbes, and other epilithic, endolithic, and epigeic organisms. These organisms exhibit potential bio-corrosive properties, including silicate dissolution, extraction of essential elements, and secretion of geochemically reactive organic acids, that could be detrimental to glass durability. However, long-term biofilms can also possess a homeostatic function that could limit glass alteration. This study documents potential impacts that microbial colonization and niche partitioning can have on glass alteration, and subsequent release of radionuclides from a disposal facility for vitrified radioactive waste.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages Taylor & Francis, 2021. Vol. 38, no 1, p. 36-56
Keywords [en]
Community structure, habitat analogue, microbes and surfaces, molecular ecology, near surface radioactive waste disposal
National Category
Other Environmental Engineering
Research subject Waste Science and Technology
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-80652 DOI: 10.1080/01490451.2020.1807658 ISI: 000564355600001 Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85090011115 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-80652 DiVA, id: diva2:1463356
Note Validerad;2021;Nivå 2;2021-01-18 (alebob);
Finansiär: United States Department of Energy
2020-09-012020-09-012021-01-18 Bibliographically approved