Do microorganisms influence the transport of radionuclides in Uranium-contaminated underground mines?

Microorganisms are ubiquitous, also in extreme environments e.g. in environments with high salinity, in very hot and acid waters or underneath thick slides of ice. In the former uranium mine Königstein exist also an extreme environment, due to the very low pH (2.7), the high concentrations of heavy metals and uranium. Nevertheless microorganisms in form of biofilms exist in a depth of 250 meters in this mine. Since 2010 the underground mine was flooded and is no longer accessible for sampling. For investigations in mine biofilms the microorganisms in the mine water have to be cultivated above ground in flow cells or in a biofilm reactor. The microorganisms in the mine water should grow on special biofilm carriers in the reactor. Our studies may contribute to new remediation measures for heavy metal contaminated mine waters.