University of Silesia in Katowice

Describing biological and biogeochemical processes in post-mining heaps and isolating microorganisms living at post-mining heaps to assess their biotechnological potential.

keywords: burning post-mining heaps, microbiome, biotechnological potential, biodegradation, metagenomics

One of the negative impacts of the exploitation of mineral resources on the environment are post-mining heaps. Burning heaps are especially dangerous as they actively release numerous toxic substances. The first stage of limiting their impact on the environment is learning about the biogeochemical reactions occurring in them. Burning heaps are an example of extreme environments. The microorganisms living there have developed mechanisms thanks to which they are able to survive within extreme conditions, e.g. ability to decompose complex and toxic organic compounds.

In an interdisciplinary way, the project focuses on explaining processes in burning heaps in the vicinity of the town of Czerwionka-Leszczyny and the city of Bytom. The biological processes will be described thanks to the heaps’ metagenome analysis carried out in cooperation with Ian Marshall, PhD from Aarhus University, Denmark. The results will be linked with the geochemical data gathered by researchers from the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Silesia. Microorganisms from the heaps will be isolated and studied at the Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection in terms of biodegradation of complex organic compounds, including xenobiotics.

Research conducted within the project will be the first step towards learning and understanding the potential of microorganisms from these unusual and extreme environments. The project will provide crucial data used for future research on the possibility of reclamation of burning heaps, decomposition of organic substances, and utilisation of microorganisms for bioremediation. Additionally, it may provide new data on microorganisms’ adaptation to living in poly-extreme environments.