Biomedical subjects

J Arlinger

Publications and source records attributed to J Arlinger.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Occurrence and identification of microorganisms in compacted clay-based buffer material designed for use in a nuclear fuel waste disposal vault.

A full-scale nuclear fuel waste disposal container experiment was carried out 240 m below ground in an underground granitic rock research laboratory in Canada. An electric heater was surrounded by buffer material composed of sand and bentonite clay and provided heat equivalent to what is anticipated in a Canadian nuclear fuel waste repository. During the experiment, the heat caused a mass transport of water and moisture content gradients developed in the buffer ranging from 13% closest to the heater to 23% at the rock wall of the deposition hole. Upon decommissioning after 2.5 years, microorganisms could be cultured from all samples having a moisture content above 15% but not from samples with a moisture content below 15%. Heterotrophic aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were found in numbers ranging from 10(1) to 10(6) cells/g dry weight buffer. Approximately 10(2), or less, sulphate-reducing bacteria and methanogens per gram of dry weight buffer were also found. Identification of buffer population members was performed using Analytical Profile Index (API) strips for isolated bacteria and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for in situ samples. A total of 79 isolates from five buffer layers were identified with API strips as representing the beta, gamma and delta groups of Proteobacteria and Gram-positive bacteria. Sixty-seven 16S rRNA clones that were obtained from three buffer layers were classified into 21 clone groups representing alpha and gamma groups of Proteobacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and a yeast. Approximately 20% of the population comprised Gram-positive bacteria. Members of the genera Amycolatopsis, Bacillus, and Nocardia predominated. Among Gram-negative bacteria, the genera Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas predominated. Analysis of lipid biomarker signatures and in situ leucine uptake demonstrated that the buffer population was viable. The results suggest that a nuclear fuel waste buffer will be populated by active microorganisms only if the moisture content is above a value where free water is available for active life.

Aluminum Silicates↗

PubMed1996

Diversity and distribution of subterranean bacteria in groundwater at Oklo in Gabon, Africa, as determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

This paper describes how ground water was sampled, DNA extracted, amplified and cloned and how information available in the ribosomal 16S rRNA gene was used for mapping diversity and distribution of subterranean bacteria in groundwater at the Bangombé site in the Oklo region. The results showed that this site was inhabited by a diversified population of bacteria. Each borehole was dominated by species that did not dominate in any of the other boreholes; a result that probably reflects documented differences in the geochemical environment. Two of the sequences obtained were identified at genus level to represent Acinetobacter and Zoogloea, but most of the 44 sequences found were only distantly related to species in the DNA database. The deepest borehole, BAX01 (105 m), had the highest number of bacteria and also total organic carbon (TOC). This borehole harboured only Proteobacteria beta group sequences while sequences related to Proteobacteria beta, gamma and delta groups and Gram-positive bacteria were found in the other four boreholes. Two of the boreholes, BAX02 (34 m) and BAX04 (10 m) had many 16S rRNA gene sequences in common and also had similar counts of bacteria, content of TOC, pH and equal conductivity, suggesting a hydraulic connection between them.

Acinetobacter↗

PubMed1994

Characterization of attached bacterial populations in deep granitic groundwater from the Stripa research mine by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and scanning electron microscopy.

This paper presents the molecular characterization of attached bacterial populations growing in slowly flowing artesian groundwater from deep crystalline bed-rock of the Stripa mine, south central Sweden. Bacteria grew on glass slides in laminar flow reactors connected to the anoxic groundwater flowing up through tubing from two levels of a borehole, 812-820 m and 970-1240 m. The glass slides were collected, the bacterial DNA was extracted and the 16S rRNA genes were amplified by PCR using primers matching universally conserved positions 519-536 and 1392-1405. The resulting PCR fragments were subsequently cloned and sequenced. The sequences were compared with each other and with 16S rRNA gene sequences in the EMBL database. Three major groups of bacteria were found. Signature bases placed the clones in the appropriate systematic groups. All belonged to the proteobacterial groups beta and gamma. One group was found only at the 812-820 m level, where it constituted 63% of the sequenced clones, whereas the second group existed almost exclusively at the 970-1240 m level, where it constituted 83% of the sequenced clones. The third group was equally distributed between the levels. A few other bacteria were also found. None of the 16S rRNA genes from the dominant bacteria showed more than 88% similarity to any of the others, and none of them resembled anything in the database by more than 96%. Temperature did not seem to have any effect on species composition at the deeper level. SEM images showed rods appearing in microcolonies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anaerobiosis↗