Bacterial interactions with uranium: an environmental perspective

The presence of actinides in radioactive wastes is of major concern because of their potential for migration from the waste repositories and long-term contamination of the environment. Studies have been and are being made on inorganic processes affecting the migration of radionuclides from these repositories to the environment but it is becoming increasingly evident that microbial processes are of importance as well. The relevance of microorganisms to actinide behavior arises from the overlap of the biosphere with the geosphere and the transformations that occur because of their interactions. The present study is intended to give a brief overview of the key processes implicated in the interaction of actinides e.g. uranium with bacterial strains isolated from different extreme environments relevant to radioactive repositories. A complex methodological approach involving a combination of wet chemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and advanced solid state speciation techniques is used. Fundamental understanding of the interaction of these bacteria with U will be useful for developing appropriate radioactive waste treatments, remediation and long-term management strategies as well as for predicting the microbial impacts on the performance of the radioactive waste repositories.