Microbial acidification by N, S, Fe and Mn oxidation as a key mechanism for deterioration of subsea tunnel sprayed concrete
Journal article, 2024
The deterioration of fibre-reinforced sprayed concrete was studied in the Oslofjord subsea tunnel (Norway). At sites with intrusion of saline groundwater resulting in biofilm growth, the concrete exhibited significant concrete deterioration and steel fibre corrosion. Using amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, the microbial taxa and surveyed potential microbial mechanisms of concrete degradation at two sites over five years were identified. The concrete beneath the biofilm was investigated with polarised light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The oxic environment in the tunnel favoured aerobic oxidation processes in nitrogen, sulfur and metal biogeochemical cycling as evidenced by large abundances of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) with potential for oxidation of nitrogen, sulfur, manganese and iron, observed mild acidification of the concrete, and the presence of manganese- and iron oxides. These results suggest that autotrophic microbial populations involved in the cycling of several elements contributed to the corrosion of steel fibres and acidification causing concrete deterioration.
Metagenomics
Amplicon sequencing
Biofilm community
Biodeterioration
Fibre-reinforced sprayed concrete; subsea tunnels
Author
Sabina Karacic
University of Bonn
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Carolina Suarez
Lunds tekniska högskola
Sweden Water Research
Per Hagelia
Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA)
Müller-Sars Biological Station
Frank Persson
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Oskar Modin
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Paula Dalcin Martins
University of Groningen
University of Amsterdam
Britt-Marie Wilen
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Scientific Reports
2045-2322 (ISSN) 20452322 (eISSN)
Vol. 14 1 22742Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Microbiology
Geochemistry
DOI
10.1038/s41598-024-73911-w
PubMed
39349736
Related datasets
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10406297