HR: 13:55h
AN: C33B-02    [Abstracts]
TI: In Situ ATP Bioluminescent Measurements in Subglacial Environments – The Engabreen Glacier in the Norwegian Arctic
AU: * Cullen, D C
EM: d.cullen@cranfield.ac.uk
AF: Cranfield University, Cranfield Health, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4DT, United Kingdom
AU: Wadham, J L
EM: J.L.Wadham@bristol.ac.uk
AF: University of Bristol, Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SS, United Kingdom
AU: Pancost, R
EM: r.d.pancost@bristol.ac.uk
AF: University of Bristol, Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SS, United Kingdom
AU: Kelly, S
EM: Sam.Kelly@bristol.ac.uk
AF: University of Bristol, Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, University Road, Bristol, BS8 1SS, United Kingdom
AU: Barnett, M J
EM: m.barnett.s06@cranfield.ac.uk
AF: Cranfield University, Cranfield Health, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4DT, United Kingdom
AU: Jackson, M
EM: mja@nve.no
AF: Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Hydrology Department, Glacier and Environmental Hydrology Section, P.O.Box 5091 Maj., Oslo, N-0301, Norway
AB: Engabreen is a northern outlet glacier from the western Svartisen ice cap on the Nordland coast of Norway just inside the Arctic Circle. A unique feature of the glacier is a man-made tunnel system within the bedrock beneath the glacier that offers scientists direct access to the glacier-bedrock interface. This unique facility - called the Engabreen Subglacial Laboratory - is ideal to test developments of new in situ analytical techniques. We have used the facility to perform the first in situ detection of microbial life in a subglacial environment using standard off-the-shelf ATP bioluminescence detection technology and therefore using ATP levels as a proxy of microbial life. Measurements were performed both in melt-waters in the tunnels and from melted ice samples directly from the glacier-bedrock interface. Levels of ATP above background were detected and appeared to be associated with suspended sediment particles rather than in the water or ice component. This indicated the presence of microbial life. Development of protocols for in situ sample processing and use of in situ ATP measurements in the directing and choice of sampling points for other techniques was explored. This study has shown that off-the-shelf portable ATP bioluminescence can be used to perform in situ measurements within sub-glacial environments but that further development work is required to optimize experimental protocols and to correlate findings with other life detection and enumeration techniques.
DE: 0400 BIOGEOSCIENCES
DE: 0424 Biosignatures and proxies
DE: 0720 Glaciers
DE: 0793 Biogeochemistry (0412, 0414, 1615, 4805, 4912)
DE: 0794 Instruments and techniques
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting