Natalia Jakus
EPFL ENAC IIE EML
CE 1 544 (Centre Est)
Station 6
1015 Lausanne
Web site: Web site: https://eml.epfl.ch/
Research
I am a geomicrobiologist with a keen interest in microbially-driven redox changes of minerals and microbial survival strategies in the deep subsurface. My PhD work focused on groundwater microbial communities capable of removal of an agro-pollutant (nitrate) and oxidation of iron phases under anoxic conditions. Currently, I am applying my knowledge to predict the extent of microbial activity in future geological nuclear waste repositories (DGRs) to ensure the long-term stability of their safety functions.Projects
I am involved in the following international collaborations, experiments and research projects:- The Kiruna Natural Analogue (KiNa) - Natural analogue study in Kiruna mine in Sweden. Investigates the formations of smectite-rich clay occurring adjacent to magnetite deposits to explore the long-term evolution of bentonite components of a geological disposal system for radioactive waste.
- High Temperature Effects on Bentonite Buffers (HotBENT) - Generic-DGR-full scale long-term experiment based in Grimsel Test Site. Aims to evaluate current accepted safety functions by investigating the effects of high temperatures on bentonite-based barriers and their safety functions.
- IC-A: Iron Corrosion - In-situ field study based in Mont Terri Rock Lab. Aims to investigate corrosion of waste canisters in bentonite buffers.
- CONtainer CORrosion under Disposal conditions (CONCORD) - Lab-based experiments run within EURAD initiative. Their goal is to optimise and evaluate the behaviour of materials for disposal containers in view of their long-term barrier performance.
Publications
Selected publications
| Bayer, T., Jakus, N., Kappler, A., Byrne, J. M. In review (2024) |
Magnetite Nanoparticles are Metastable Biogeobatteries in Consecutive Redox Cycles Driven by Microbial Fe Oxidation and Reduction |
| Huang, J., Mellage, A., Pavon-Garcia, J., Gloeckler, D., Mahler, S., Elsner, M., Jakus, N., Mansor, M., Jiang, H., Kappler, A. Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2023) |
Metabolic performance and fate of electrons during nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation by the autotrophic enrichment culture KS grown at different initial Fe:N ratios. |
| Huang, Y.M., Jakus, N., Straub, D., Konstantinidis, K.T., Blackwell, N., Kappler, A., Kleindienst, S. Systematic and Applied Microbiology (2022) |
'Candidatus Ferrigenium straubiae' sp. nov., 'Candidatus bremense' sp. nov., 'Candidatus Ferrigenium altingense' sp. nov., are autotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria of the familiy Gallionellaceae. |
| Osenbrück K., Blendinger E., Leven C., Rügner H., Finkel M., Jakus N., Schulz H., Grathwohl P. Hydrogeology Journal (2022) |
Nitrate reduction potential of a fractured Middle Triassic carbonate aquifer in Southwest Germany |
| Jakus, N., Blackwell, N., Osenbrueck, K., Straub, D., Byrne, J.M., Wang, Z., Gloeckler, D., Elsner, M., Lueders, T., Grathwohl, P., Kleindienst, S., Kappler, A. Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2021) |
Nitrate removal by a novel autotrophic nitrate-reducing iron(II)-oxidizing culture enriched from a pyrite-rich limestone aquifer. |
| Jakus, N., Mellage, A., Hoeschen, C., Maisch, M., Byrne, J.M., Mueller, C.W., Grathwohl, P., Kappler, A. Environmental Science and Technology (2021) |
Anaerobic neutrophilic pyrite oxidation by a chemolithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing iron(II)-oxidizing culture enriched from a fractured-aquifer. |
| Jakus, N., Blackwell, N., Straub, D., Kappler, A., Kleindienst, S. FEMS Microbiology Ecology (2021) |
Presence of Fe(II) and nitrate shapes aquifer-originating communities leading to an autotrophic enrichment dominated by a Fe(II)-oxidizing Gallionellaceae sp.. |
| Schad, M., Halama, M., Jakus N., Robbins, L.J., Warchola, T.J., Tejada, J., Kirchhof, R., Lalonde, S.V., Swanner, E.D., Planavsky, N.J., Thorwarth, H., Mansor, M., Konhauser, K.O., Kappler, A. Chemical Geology (2021) |
Phosphate Remobilization from Banded Iron Formations during metamorphic Mineral Transformations. |