Microbes remove methane and ammonium from coastal sediments

ERC Synergy grant

11 October 2019

Utrecht ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ and Radboud ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ researchers have received an ERC Synergy grant of 7.6 million euros to investigate how microorganisms remove the harmful substances methane and ammonium from coastal sediments. By combining their expertise, the researchers expect a breakthrough in the existing knowledge on microbes.

Prof Caroline Slomp of Utrecht ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ

Decomposition of organic matter releases methane and ammonium. Methane is a strong greenhouse gas and ammonium is toxic. In the sediments these toxic substances are removed by microbes, but how this works is not fully understood. This makes it difficult to predict how the sediments reacts to human-induced changes such as global warming and eutrophication. The ERC Synergy research team will study how microbes remove methane and ammonium in the sediment and the impact on our environment.

Prof Caroline Slomp, geochemist at Utrecht ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ, and , microbiologist at Radboud ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ, will combine their expertise in this project. Using their ERC Synergy grant they will identify the chemical reactions and microbes responsible for the removal of methane and ammonium. By combining field work, lab experiments and state of the art biogeochemical computer modeling, the researchers expect breakthroughs in the understanding of the role of microbes in modulating Earth窶冱 biogeochemistry.

Interdisciplinary cooperation

The ERC Synergy grants are the largest and most competitive subsidies of the European Research Council (ERC). Synergy grants are intended for ambitious scientific research with interdisciplinary cooperation between scientists. It is the second time that a researcher from Utrecht ﾄｾｹﾏｸ｣ﾀ﨧ｰﾊﾓ has been awarded an ERC Synergy grant. This year, .

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