Uranium interactions with bacterial communities from contaminated soils in Chernobyl
Abstract
Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, vegetation, contaminated soil and other radioactive debris were shortly buried in situ in trenches. The present work describes the analysis of the structure of the bacterial communities that have been evolving in this environment for more than 20 years. Comparison of the diversities found in soil samples exhibiting contrasted radionuclides content is a prerequesite to point out the potential role of microorganisms in radionuclide migration in soils.