Uni-Tübingen

P4 Floodplain Biogeochemistry - Redox Buffering and Contaminant Fate in Waterlogged Sediments

People Involved

Principal Investigators

Prof. Dr. Stefan B. Haderlein

University of Tübingen, Environmental Mineralogy & Chemistry
 

Prof. Dr. Carolin Huhn

University of Tübingen, Analytical Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Christian Griebler

Helmholtz Center München, University of Vienna, Limnology and Bio-Occanography

Prof. Dr. Andreas Kappler

University of Tübingen, Geomicrobiology

In the second phase of CAMPOS, the P4 team will change as parts of the research on glyphosate will be continued in P6. Adrian Mellage will become a new PI.

Researchers

Lena Cramaro, MSc

PhD Candidate, University of Vienna, Limnology and Bio-Occanography

Benedikt Wimmer, MSc

PhD Candidate, University of Tübingen, Analytical Chemistry

Johanna Schlögl, MSc

PhD Candidate, University of Tübingen, Environmental Mineralogy & Chemistry

Research Questions and General Approach

Research Questions

Redox processes play a key role in both the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and pollutant transformations. Thus, the overarching goal of this project is to identify and quantify the biogeochemical processes controlling the redox dynamics and the spatial and temporal transformation of redox sensitive nutrients (nitrate, ammonia) and agrochemicals (glyphosate and degradation by-products) in floodplain sediments.

General Approach of P4

We apply advanced electrochemical, trace analytical, microbial and biochemical techniques to determine

  • the redox state and its seasonal dynamics in floodplain sediments
  • the decisive reactive soil components that control the redox dynamics and redox buffering
  • the speciation, sorption and mobilization of glyphosate and its major transformation product AMPA as affected by the redox conditions
  • the dynamics of microbial communities and microbially driven nitrogen and sulfur cycles
  • the transport and transformation the herbicides in sediments under simulated water-logging and redox dynamics

The work comprises field coring campaigns (in close collaboration with P3) as well as detailed laboratory studies to decipher and quantify the links between geochemistry, redox dynamics, microbial activity and pollutant fate.

Achievements

Establishment of a field irrigation experiment
 
Capturing redox potential and nutrient dynamics in dry floodplain soils
Spatiotemporal dynamics of floodplain-soil microbial communities
Development and application of analytical methodology for glyphosate quantification
Bioavailability and Biodegradation of glyphosate