Sulfate-reducing bacteria release barium and radium from naturally occurring radioactive material in oil-field barite
Geomicrobiology Journal
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Abstract
Scale and sludge deposits formed during oil production can contain elevated levels of Ra, often coprecipitated with barium sulfate (barite). The potential for sulfate-reducing bacteria to release 226 Ra and Ba (a Ra analog) from oil-field barite was evaluated. The concentration of dissolved Ba increased when samples containing pipe scale, tank sludge, or oil-field brine pond sediment were incubated with sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio sp., Str LZKI, isolated from an oil-field brine pond. However, Ba release was not stoichiometric with sulfide production in oil-field samples, and <0.1% of the Ba was released. Potential for the release of 226Ra was demonstrated, and the 226 Ra release associated with sulfate-reducing activity was predictable from the amount of Ba released. As with Ba, only a fraction of the 226Ra expected from the amount of sulfide produced was released, and most of the Ra remained associated with the solid material.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Sulfate-reducing bacteria release barium and radium from naturally occurring radioactive material in oil-field barite |
| Series title | Geomicrobiology Journal |
| DOI | 10.1080/01490450120549 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 2001 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Contributing office(s) | Toxic Substances Hydrology Program |
| Description | 16 p. |
| First page | 167 |
| Last page | 182 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |