Collaborative Research: Investigating the impact of microbial interactions with geologic media on geophysical properties: Implications for assessing geomicrobiological processes

合作研究：调查微生物与地质介质相互作用对地球物理性质的影响：对评估地球微生物过程的影响

• 批准号: 0729642
• 负责人: Estella Atekwana
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Oklahoma State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-10-01 至 2008-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0729642&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Investigating; impact; microbial

Bacteria have been shown to play an important role in geologic processes, however, their role in altering geophysical properties of rocks is not well understood, nor has it been thoroughly investigated. This project is a three-year collaboration between researchers at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Rutgers University, and Western Michigan University. Its purpose is to understand and measure geophysical changes resulting from microbial interactions with geologic media. Specific objectives of the project are to conduct laboratory and field studies to investigate: (1) the effect of increases in microbial cell concentrations and biofilm formation on soil and sediment electrical properties, (2) the effect of metabolic by-products of microbial activity, such as biosurfactants and organic acids, on geophysical electrical measurements, (3) potential changes in petrophysical properties (e.g., permeability, porosity, surface area) induced by microbial-mineral interactions, and (4) differences in the microbial communities and their structure, dynamics, and associations in sediments with anomalous geophysical signatures. The first phase of the work will involve measuring the electrical signatures of bacterial cells, biofilms, and organic acids in laboratory column reactors. Final reactor products will then be imaged with photomicrography to investigate biofilm distribution and changes in pore geometry. The second phase of the work will focus on measurements of reactor sediment physical properties (formation factor, surface area, porosity, permeability). Results of this work will help build a database to relate electrical, physical, and biochemical parameters that can be used in geophysical modeling of field input data. The final phase of the program will concentrate on field measurements and observations on how changes in sediment electrical conductivity can be related to microbial alteration of geologic materials. These analyses will be carried out on cores and at the field scale. This study will form the basis for the development of geophysics as a tool for investigating geomicrobiological processes. Broader and potential societal benefits include development of geophysical techniques that can be used for monitoring and assessing biological colonization of groundwater aquifers and microbial mineralization of dissolved pollutants in the near subsurface. Educational and outreach initiatives will focus on student involvement and student-led promotion of biogeophysics to the wider Geophysics and Biogeosciences community at national mad international meetings.

已经证明细菌在地质过程中起着重要作用，但是，它们在改变岩石的地球物理特性中的作用尚不清楚，也没有得到彻底研究。该项目是密苏里 - 罗拉大学，罗格斯大学和西密歇根大学的研究人员之间的三年合作。 其目的是了解和测量与地质培养基微生物相互作用引起的地球物理变化。 该项目的具体目标是进行实验室和现场研究以进行研究：（1）微生物细胞浓度和生物原理的增加对土壤和沉积物电性能的影响，（2）微生物活性的代谢副产品的影响，例如生物表面活性剂和诸如地球物质测量的生物表面活性剂和有机酸的特性（3）的特性（3）。孔隙率，表面积）是由微生物矿物质相互作用引起的，（4）微生物群落及其结构，动力学和关联的差异，具有异常的地球物理特征。工作的第一阶段将涉及测量实验室柱反应器中细菌细胞，生物膜和有机酸的电特征。 然后，最终反应器产物将使用显微照片成像，以研究生物膜分布和孔几何形状的变化。 工作的第二阶段将集中于反应堆沉积物物理特性（形成因子，表面积，孔隙率，渗透率）的测量。这项工作的结果将有助于构建一个数据库，以将可以用于现场输入数据的地球物理建模中使用电气，物理和生化参数。 该程序的最后阶段将集中于现场测量和观察沉积物电导率的变化如何与地质材料的微生物改变有关。 这些分析将在核心和现场尺度上进行。 这项研究将构成地球物理学发展作为研究地球生物学过程的工具的基础。 更广泛和潜在的社会益处包括开发地球物理技术，可用于监测和评估地下水含水层的生物定植以及近地下溶解污染物的微生物矿化。教育和宣传计划将集中于在国家疯狂国际会议上，将生物地球物理学的学生参与和学生领导的生物地球物理学促进更广泛的地球物理和生物地球科学社区。