Microbiological and Mineralogical Characterization of Columbia River Basalts Prior to Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Addition

Deep geologic sequestration of supercritical carbon dioxide can remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but will cause profound changes to the geochemistry and microorganisms in the deep strata where it is injected. Here we report the original subsurface microbial constituents in basalt aquifers where supercritical carbon dioxide will be injected as part of the DOE Big Sky Regional Partnership field pilot investigation. Microbial cells were acquired by filtration of water from five discrete depth intervals in the Columbia River basalts during drilling of the borehole in eastern Washington state. Microbes were present in all five of the groundwater samples collected. DNA extracted from the cells was successfully amplified using 16S rRNA gene primers for bacteria, but not archaea. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism suggested that microbial communities in aquifers from the upper Grand Ronde basalt flows (518 to 553 m) were similar to each other, but distinct from those present in groundwater from the shallower, overlying Wanapum and deeper Grand Ronde basalt flows. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction directed at the 16S rRNA gene indicated that the aquifers had approximately 10,000 cells per ml. To date, our analysis demonstrates the presence of diverse microbial communities at and above the depths where a limited field test carbon dioxide injection (ca. 1,000 metric tons) is planned for early in 2010. A variety of secondary mineral assemblages (mainly clay minerals, silicates and carbonates) have been observed in thin section, and X-ray diffraction examination of the basalt cuttings from the pilot characterization borehole. This pre-injection study supports our inquiry of how indigenous microbial communities may be altered by supercritical carbon dioxide injection, and possible processes that may increase basalt reaction/weathering and re-precipitation of carbonate minerals. Microbial communities that become established after the carbon dioxide injection may be useful for developing diagnostic tools to account for assessing carbon dioxide in place within the injection reservoir, and for detecting the presence of leakage within overlying basalt groundwater systems.