Abundance and Viability of the Groundwater Microbial Communities from a Borehole in the Tono Uranium Deposit Area, Central Japan.

• Murakami Yuki

  School of Biosphere Sciences, Hiroshima University

• Fujita Yuka

  School of Biosphere Sciences, Hiroshima University

• Naganuma Takeshi

  School of Biosphere Sciences, Hiroshima University

• Iwatsuki Teruki

  Tono Geosciene Center, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute

Abstract

The abundance and viability of microorganisms in groundwater were studied using a scientific borehole in the Tono uranium deposit area, central Japan. Groundwater samples were collected from scientific borehole TH-6 at four depths; 104, 132 and 153 m in sedimentary rocks and 177 m in granite rock using autoclaved geochemical water samplers. The total cell count using epifluorescence microscopy was of the order of 10⁵ to 10⁶ cells ml^-1, showing non-systematic change in microbial parameters with depth. Viability estimated from cell membrane integrity ranged from 22.3% to almost 100%, and showed a tendency to increase with depth. In contrast, viability determined using both activities of the electron transport system (ETS) and esterase showed inconsistent depth-profiles. The ETS-active cell count corresponded to 0.57-24.7% of the total count; the minimum ETS-count was found at 153 m, just above the sediment-granite unconformity where the minimum redox potential was estimated. The esterase-active cell count corresponded to 0.4-10.3% of the total, with a maximum at 132 m, the lignite-derived organic-rich layer, and a minimum was found at 153 m, as seen for the ETS-active counts. These inconsistent profiles suggest a difference in microbial viability and activity between each depth. In addition, depth-specific microflorae may develop in response to the availability of various electron acceptors and donors in the subsurface.<br>

Journal

• Microbes and Environments

  Microbes and Environments 17 (2), 63-74, 2002

  Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology / Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology / Taiwan Society of Microbial Ecology / Japanese Society of Plant Microbe Interactions / Japanese Society for Extremophiles

Keywords

• subsurface microbiology
• total count
• viable count
• spatial variability

Details

• CRID: 1390282679322821760
• NII Article ID: 110001271056
• NII Book ID: AA11551577
• DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.2002.63
• ISSN: 13474405
• ISSN: 13426311
• NDL BIB ID: 6206023
• Web Site: http://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/6206023
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I6206023
• Web Site: http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsme2/17/2/17_2_63/_pdf
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed