title: Effects of plant downtime on the microbial community composition in the highly saline brine of a geothermal plant in the North German Basin.
abstract: The microbial biocenosis in highly saline fluids produced from the cold well of a deep geothermal heat store located in the North German Basin was characterized during regular plant operation and immediately after plant downtime phases. Genetic fingerprinting revealed the dominance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and fermentative Halanaerobiaceae during regular plant operation, whereas after shutdown phases, sequences of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) were also detected. The detection of SOB indicated oxygen ingress into the well during the downtime phase. High 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and dsrA gene copy numbers at the beginning of the restart process showed an enrichment of bacteria, SRB, and SOB during stagnant conditions consistent with higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), sulfate, and hydrogen sulfide in the produced fluids. The interaction of SRB and SOB during plant downtimes might have enhanced the corrosion processes occurring in the well. It was shown that scale content of fluids was significantly increased after stagnant phases. Moreover, the sulfur isotopic signature of the mineral scales indicated microbial influence on scale formation.
authors.affiliation: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.affiliation: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lerm
authors.affiliation: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miethling-Graff
authors.affiliation: BWG Geochemische Beratung GmbH, 17041, Neubrandenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seibt
authors.affiliation: Geothermie Neubrandenburg (GTN), 17041, Neubrandenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolfgramm
authors.affiliation: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, 14473, Potsdam, Germany. wuerdem@gfz-potsdam.de.|Environmental Technology, Water and Recycling Technology, Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Merseburg, 06217, Merseburg, Germany. wuerdem@gfz-potsdam.de.
authors.forename: Hilke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Würdemann
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003343:Corrosion; D000068536:Bacillota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005858:Germany; D060587:Groundwater / Q000382:microbiology*; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011210:Power Plants; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D054712:Salinity; D013431:Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016999:Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013431:Sulfates; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Aquifer; Corrosion; Geothermal; Microbial community; SOB; SRB