Microbial biosensors for Detecting Nuclear Fuel Cycle Activities in the Environment

Traditional methods for monitoring nuclear proliferation are limited to controlled, near-source environments and rely on simple sample matrices, restricting their utility in complex environmental contexts. This project explores the use of microbiome analysis to extend monitoring capabilities by identifying microbial communities associated with specific stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. In collaboration with UC-Berkeley, we conducted a systematic review of prokaryotic genera reported from 30 nuclear facilities across 18 countries, revealing consistent microbial signatures linked to different fuel cycle activities. These findings provide critical insight into the ecological and geochemical processes that influence radionuclide behavior and offer a biological basis for developing advanced monitoring tools. The resulting framework supports the design of Wide Area Environmental Sampling (WAES) programs, in-situ biomonitors, and geospatial techniques aimed at detecting environmental indicators of proliferation and clandestine nuclear activities.