title: Enriching acid rock drainage related microbial communities from surface-deposited oil sands tailings.
abstract: Little is known about the microbial communities native to surface-deposited pyritic oil sands tailings, an environment where acid rock drainage (ARD) could occur. The goal of this study was to enrich sulfur-oxidizing organisms from these tailings and determine whether different populations exist at pH levels 7, 4.5, and 2.5. Using growth-based methods provides model organisms for use in the future to predict potential activities and limitations of these organisms and to develop possible control methods. Thiosulfate-fed enrichment cultures were monitored for approximately 1 year. The results showed that the enrichments at pH 4.5 and 7 were established quicker than at pH 2.5. Different microbial community structures were found among the 3 pH environments. The sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms identified were most closely related to Halothiobacillus neapolitanus, Achromobacter spp., and Curtobacterium spp. While microorganisms related to Chitinophagaceae and Acidocella spp. were identified as the only possible iron-oxidizing and -reducing microbes. These results contribute to the general knowledge of the relatively understudied microbial communities that exist in pyritic oil sands tailings and indicate these communities may have a potential role in ARD generation, which may have implications for future tailings management.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.|School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.|School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
authors.forename: Yeyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.|School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D042401:Alcaligenaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D044222:Halothiobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000067071:Hydraulic Fracking; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000502:physiology*; D058889:Molecular Typing; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields / Q000382:microbiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: acid rock drainage; culture d’enrichissement; drainage rocheux acide; enrichment culture; microbe sulfo-oxydant; oil sands tailings; résidus de sables bitumineux; sulfur-oxidizing microbe