Shifts in the overall microbial community structure were present in stream sediments that contained chemicals associated with unconventional oil and gas wastewaters. This work is part of a long-term study designed to understand persistence of chemicals from oil and gas wastewaters in sediments and water and how those factors might be related to exposures and adverse health effects, if any, on organisms.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers studied the potential pathways of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) wastewaters into the environment to determine if there were effects on exposed organisms. UOG wastewaters consist of complex chemical mixtures including high total dissolved solids, naturally occurring radioactive materials, organic and heavy metal compounds, and additives such as biocides used in hydraulic fracturing fluids to control corrosion, souring, and biofouling.
Based on ongoing work, USGS and Rutgers University scientists expected that the complex chemical mixtures in UOG wastewater could promote changes in the composition of exposed microbial communities including shifts to antimicrobial resistant bacteria due to the use of biocides. Scientists assessed microbial community composition in stream water and sediment samples from Wolf Creek upstream and downstream from a West Virginia UOG wastewater injection well disposal site. To accomplish this, molecular (DNA-based) methods were applied to sediment and water samples to profile antibiotic-resistance genes, profile the microbial community structure, and describe microbial community functional potential.
Shifts in the overall microbial community structure were measured in stream sediments that contained chemicals associated with UOG wastewaters. In particular, signatures for spore formation, dormancy, and methanogenesis were elevated in the impacted sediments. These shifts indicate that microbial communities responded to environmental disturbances, which in this study were characterized by previously described shifts in geochemistry. The relative abundance of total antibiotic-resistance genes was similar in background and downstream sediments. This similarity is not totally unexpected because antibiotic resistance is naturally present in many environments, predating the use of antibiotics, partly because antibiotics in use today are produced by microbes. There were higher relative abundances of two genes encoding for multidrug resistance (acrB and mexB) in sediments downstream from the UOG facility even in the absence of measured biocides. The higher relative abundance of acrB and mexB is likely due to their function as efflux pumps to help remove foreign chemicals as well as antibiotics from cells. For context, the relative abundances of total antibiotic resistance genes measured in this study were lower than those reported for municipal wastewater, which is considered to be on the high end of expected resistance gene abundance.
Microorganisms are vital parts of stream ecosystems. Microbial community structure shifted at sites downstream of UOG wastewaters leaving questions about the affect these shifts have on nutrient cycling and other key processes.
The USGS Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology) of the Ecosystems Mission Area funded this study, as well as a research stipend to Hannah Delos Reyes from the Douglass Project, a graduate fellowship to Alessia Eramo from Rutgers University School of Engineering, and Nicole L. Fahrenfeld Rutgers University startup funds.
See below for more science related to this research.
Energy Integrated Science Team
Understanding Pathways of Unconventional Oil and Gas Produced Water Spills in the Environment
Indication of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewaters Found in Local Surface Waters
Fate and Effects of Wastes from Unconventional Oil and Gas Development
Microbiology and Chemistry of Waters Produced from Hydraulic Fracking—A Case Study
See below for publications related to this research.
Shifts in microbial community structure and function in surface waters impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater revealed by metagenomics
- Overview
Shifts in the overall microbial community structure were present in stream sediments that contained chemicals associated with unconventional oil and gas wastewaters. This work is part of a long-term study designed to understand persistence of chemicals from oil and gas wastewaters in sediments and water and how those factors might be related to exposures and adverse health effects, if any, on organisms.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist collecting water samples on a wastewater disposal facility in West Virginia to assess potential environmental impacts due to activities at the site. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers studied the potential pathways of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) wastewaters into the environment to determine if there were effects on exposed organisms. UOG wastewaters consist of complex chemical mixtures including high total dissolved solids, naturally occurring radioactive materials, organic and heavy metal compounds, and additives such as biocides used in hydraulic fracturing fluids to control corrosion, souring, and biofouling.
Based on ongoing work, USGS and Rutgers University scientists expected that the complex chemical mixtures in UOG wastewater could promote changes in the composition of exposed microbial communities including shifts to antimicrobial resistant bacteria due to the use of biocides. Scientists assessed microbial community composition in stream water and sediment samples from Wolf Creek upstream and downstream from a West Virginia UOG wastewater injection well disposal site. To accomplish this, molecular (DNA-based) methods were applied to sediment and water samples to profile antibiotic-resistance genes, profile the microbial community structure, and describe microbial community functional potential.
Shifts in the overall microbial community structure were measured in stream sediments that contained chemicals associated with UOG wastewaters. In particular, signatures for spore formation, dormancy, and methanogenesis were elevated in the impacted sediments. These shifts indicate that microbial communities responded to environmental disturbances, which in this study were characterized by previously described shifts in geochemistry. The relative abundance of total antibiotic-resistance genes was similar in background and downstream sediments. This similarity is not totally unexpected because antibiotic resistance is naturally present in many environments, predating the use of antibiotics, partly because antibiotics in use today are produced by microbes. There were higher relative abundances of two genes encoding for multidrug resistance (acrB and mexB) in sediments downstream from the UOG facility even in the absence of measured biocides. The higher relative abundance of acrB and mexB is likely due to their function as efflux pumps to help remove foreign chemicals as well as antibiotics from cells. For context, the relative abundances of total antibiotic resistance genes measured in this study were lower than those reported for municipal wastewater, which is considered to be on the high end of expected resistance gene abundance.
This West Virginia disposal facility disposes of wastewaters from unconventional oil and gas production in Class II underground injection control wells Microorganisms are vital parts of stream ecosystems. Microbial community structure shifted at sites downstream of UOG wastewaters leaving questions about the affect these shifts have on nutrient cycling and other key processes.
The USGS Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology) of the Ecosystems Mission Area funded this study, as well as a research stipend to Hannah Delos Reyes from the Douglass Project, a graduate fellowship to Alessia Eramo from Rutgers University School of Engineering, and Nicole L. Fahrenfeld Rutgers University startup funds.
- Science
See below for more science related to this research.
Energy Integrated Science Team
The Energy Lifecycle Integrated Science Team focuses on the potential for contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from energy resource activities including, extraction, production, transportation, storage, extraction, waste management and restoration. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are...Understanding Pathways of Unconventional Oil and Gas Produced Water Spills in the Environment
A new study measures the transport of chemicals associated with unconventional oil and gas (UOG) produced waters downstream from a pipeline leak in North Dakota. This work is part of a long-term study designed to understand chemical persistence in sediments and water and how those factors might be related to contaminant exposures and associated with adverse health effects, if any, on organisms.Indication of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewaters Found in Local Surface Waters
Evidence indicating the presence of wastewaters from unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production was found in surface waters and surficial sediments near an UOG disposal facility in West Virginia.Fate and Effects of Wastes from Unconventional Oil and Gas Development
This study is assessing the environmental health risks associated with wastes from unconventional oil and gas development by characterizing waste materials, identifying potential environmental pathways, and evaluating the potential effects on organisms from exposure to unintended waste releases.Microbiology and Chemistry of Waters Produced from Hydraulic Fracking—A Case Study
A new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study determined that the microbiology and organic chemistry of produced waters varied widely among hydraulically fractured shale gas wells in north-central Pennsylvania. - Publications
See below for publications related to this research.
Shifts in microbial community structure and function in surface waters impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater revealed by metagenomics
Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production produces large quantities of wastewater with complex geochemistry and largely uncharacterized impacts on surface waters. In this study, we assessed shifts in microbial community structure and function in sediments and waters upstream and downstream from a UOG wastewater disposal facility. To do this, quantitative PCR for 16S rRNA and antibiotic resistancAuthorsN.L. Fahrenfeld, Hannah Delos Reyes, Alessia Eramo, Denise M. Akob, Adam Mumford, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli