Microbial communities and methane oxidation processes in Base Mine Lake, a model end-pit lake in the Alberta oilsands

Base Mine Lake 中的微生物群落和甲烷氧化过程，该湖是艾伯塔省油砂中的一个模型终坑湖

• 批准号: 478071-2014
• 负责人: Dunfield, Peter
• 金额: $ 8.22万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=619107
• 关键词: Microbial; communities; methane; oxidation; processes

One challenge facing the oilsands industry in Canada is reclaiming mining-impacted environments, especially areas affected by tailings produced during bitumen extraction. The tailings contain various chemical constituents (mainly salts and organic molecules such as naphthenic acids), and can produce methane. At present tailings are usually stored on open basins known as tailings ponds. The long-term land reclamation plans of several mining operations include the construction of End-Pit Lakes (EPLs). These are below-grade bodies of water in surface mining pits that will eventually become integrated into local watersheds. They should function in long-term containment and remediation of tailings material. Although EPLs have been designed and applied in other mining operations, none presently exist in the Alberta oilsands. Syncrude is developing Base Mine Lake (BML) as their pilot EPL project. BML was previously an active tailings pond which ceased to receive fresh tailings input in 2012 and began to receive fresh water in 2013. BML is a pilot test system for the EPL concept, so increasing our understanding of fundamental processes occurring in the lake is critical. Syncrude is sponsoring a diverse research program for BML in order to understand these processes, including how the biology and biogeochemistry of the system develops after tailing pond closure and water-capping. Our specific study within the BML research program will monitor some key microbial processes during the first few years of reclamation. The primary goal is to develop a better understanding of methane-metabolising bacteria in BML, and how these bacteria affect: i) the dissolved oxygen concentrations in the lake, a key factor determining the habitibility of the water for higher organisms, and ii) bioremediation of organic and inorganic constituents. A secondary goal is to monitor overall microbial communities in the lake using DNA-based methods, in order to develop indicators of the reclamation progress and to develop best practices for later EPL development.

加拿大石油砂行业面临的一个挑战是收回采矿影响的环境，尤其是受沥青提取过程中尾矿影响的地区。尾矿包含各种化学成分（主要是盐和有机分子，例如环甲酸），可以产生甲烷。目前，尾矿通常存储在称为尾矿池塘的开放盆地上。多个采矿业务的长期土地开垦计划包括建造端湖（EPLS）。这些是地表采矿坑中的水体以下，最终将融入当地流域。它们应在长期遏制和尾矿材料的修复中起作用。尽管EPL已在其他采矿作业中进行了设计和应用，但目前在艾伯塔省的油画中都不存在。 Syncrude正在开发基地矿山（BML）作为试点EPL项目。 BML以前是一个活跃的尾矿池塘，在2012年不再接收新鲜的尾矿输入，并于2013年开始接受淡水。BML是EPL概念的试验测试系统，因此，我们对湖中发生的基本过程的理解提高了至关重要。 Syncrude赞助了BML的多样化研究计划，以了解这些过程，包括在尾部关闭池塘和水上盖上后，系统的生物学和生物地球化学如何发展。我们在BML研究计划中进行的具体研究将在开垦的头几年监测一些关键的微生物过程。主要目标是更好地了解BML中甲烷 - 代谢细菌，以及这些细菌如何影响：i）湖中溶解的氧气浓度，这是确定水对较高生物体的习惯性的关键因素，以及ii）有机和无机成分的生物修复。第二个目标是使用基于DNA的方法监测湖中的整体微生物群落，以制定填海进展的指标，并为以后的EPL开发开发最佳实践。