Electronic Resource
Springer
Cellular and molecular life sciences
47 (1991), S. 542-548
ISSN:
1420-9071
Keywords:
Bitumen
;
microbial activity
;
biofilm
;
degradation
;
gas production
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Bitumen is commonly employed as a matrix for the long-term storage of low and intermediate level radioactive waste. As bitumen can be degraded by microbial activity, it is of great significance to determine the rates at which it may occur in nuclear waste repositories. Experiments have been carried out under optimal culture conditions using bitumen with a highly increased surface area. The potential of different microbial consortia to degrade bitumen has been examined. The investigations showed clearly that bitumen-degrading organisms are ubiquitous. In general the organisms formed biofilms on the accessible substrate surface area. Under oxic culture conditions a bitumen degradation rate of 20–50 g bitumen · m−2· y−1 leading to a CO2 liberation of 15–40 l was observed. Anoxic conditions yielded a 100 times smaller degradation rate of 0.2–0.6 g bitumen · m−2 · y−1 and a CO2 production of 0.15–0.45 l. Based on linear extrapolation the experimentally determined degradation rates would lead to a 25–70% deterioration of the bitumen matrix under oxic and 0.3–0.8% under anoxic conditions within 1000 years.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01949875
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