Abstract

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage is a facility requiring careful attention to prevent corrosion, with microbial-induced corrosion (MIC) being a significant contributing factor. While previous investigations have genetically identified total microbes and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in SNF storage ponds, similar studies have highlighted the dominance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes in these environments. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the diversity of bacteria biofilm in SNF storage ponds through a metagenomic approach, with a specific focus on those potentially causing MIC. The results showed that the rack had the highest number of taxa based on taxonomic identification. The bacteria community on the rack, at the phylum level, was dominated by Proteobacteria (34.04%), Firmicutes (24.96%), and Chloroflexi (20.52%). Chloroflexi constituted the majority of the bacteria community on the pool floor (91.09%), while on the pool walls, Chloroflexi (45.17%) and Proteobacteria (44.02%) dominated almost equally. Metabolic pathway analysis further confirmed the activity of MIC in biofilm by the presence of MIC-related pathways. These findings contribute novel insights into the microbial composition of biofilms in SNF storage ponds, providing a foundation for future studies on the prevention and management of MIC in such facilities.

Key words: biofilm, Microbial Influenced Corrosion, NGS, QIIME2