Microbiology and Rusticle Science
The microbiology section of the
project is under the direction of Drs. Roy Cullimore and Lori Johnston of
Droycon Bioconcepts. Dr. Cullimore is the world’s foremost authority on the
growth and impact of microorganisms on deep-sea shipwrecks. He and Johnston
have studied extensively some of the best-known shipwrecks in the world,
including those of Titanic and the World War II German battleship
Bismarck.
Since the startling discovery of
“rusticles” on the wreck of Titanic in 1986, the interaction between
man-made structures and microorganisms in the deep sea has become an
emerging area of science. Rusticles are produced by tiny microbes that feed
on the iron in the steel of the ship’s structure; the fragile, icicle-like
rusticles are the waste material produced by the microbes. They grow and
accumulate over years as the microbes literally consume the iron of the
vessel’s structure.
At each wreck site in the project,
Drs. Cullimore and Johnston will conduct a series of experiments designed to
determine the type and effect of microorganisms present at the site. These
will involve placing a variety of test platforms around each wreck site,
each containing samples, or “coupons,” of different types of metal (low- and
high-carbon steel, aluminum, copper, etc.) Other platforms will carry
samples of specific bacteria, which will be determine how well they survive
in the deep sea. A comprehensive, high-resolution video survey of each wreck
site will be completed to identify other major areas of biological growth
and to provide baseline data on the extent of microorganism growth for
future visits to the wreck sites.
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