Imprints of ecological processes in the taxonomic core community: an analysis of naturally replicated microbial communities enclosed in oil.

It is widely assumed that a taxonomic core community emerges among microbial communities from similar habitats because similar environments select for the same taxa bearing the same traits. Yet, a core community itself is no indicator of selection because it may also arise from dispersal and neutral drift, i.e.

Remediation of zinc-contaminated groundwater by iron oxide in situ adsorption barriers - From lab to the field.

Heavy metals such as zinc cannot be degraded by microorganisms and form long contaminant plumes in groundwater. Conventional methods for remediating heavy metal-contaminated sites are for example excavation and pump-and-treat, which is expensive and requires very long operation times. This induced interest in new technologies such as in situ adsorption barriers for immobilization of heavy metal contamination.

Microbial Degradation Rates of Natural Bitumen.

Microorganisms are present in nearly every oil or bitumen sample originating from temperate reservoirs. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to obtain reliable estimates about microbial processes taking place in deep reservoirs, since metabolic rates are rather low and differ strongly during artificially cultivation. Here, we demonstrate the importance and impact of microorganisms entrapped in microscale water droplets for the overall biodegradation process in bitumen.

Field-scale demonstration of in situ immobilization of heavy metals by injecting iron oxide nanoparticle adsorption barriers in groundwater.

Remediation of heavy metal-contaminated aquifers is a challenging process because they cannot be degraded by microorganisms. Together with the usually limited effectiveness of technologies applied today for treatment of heavy metal contaminated groundwater, this creates a need for new remediation technologies. We therefore developed a new treatment, in which permeable adsorption barriers are established in situ in aquifers by the injection of colloidal iron oxides.