I study the microbially mediated formation and dissolution of mineral phases and controls on the activities of microorganisms mediating such processes. I am particularly interested in how the ecology, physiology, and in-situ activity of these microorganisms influence migration of environmental contaminants. My work focuses on microbially mediated redox transformations of iron, nitrogen, sulfur, and uranium (and various linked combinations of these!) in acid mine drainage (AMD)-impacted systems and radionuclide-contaminated aquifers.

Publications (links to pdfs will follow as soon as I figure out how to do it . . . . baby steps)

Senko, J. M., G. Zhang, M. A. Bruns, W. D. Burgos. 2009. Metal reduction at low pH by a Desulfosporosinus species: implications for the biological treatment of acidic mine drainage. Geomicrobiology Journal. 26: 71-82.

Burgos, W. D., McDonough, J. T., J. M. Senko, G. Zhang, A. C. Dohnalkova, S. D. Kelly, K M. Kemner, Y. A. Gorby. 2008. Characterization and reactivity of uraninite nanoparticles produced by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 72: 4901-4915.

Senko, J. M., M. A. Bruns, W. D. Burgos. 2008. Characterization of Fe(II) oxidizing bacterial communities at two acidic Appalachian coal mine drainage impacted sites. ISME Journal. 2: 1134-1145.

Senko, J. M., S. D. Kelly, A. C. Dohnalkova, J. T. McDonough, K. M. Kemner, W. D. Burgos. 2007. The effect of U(VI) bioreduction kinetics on subsequent reoxidation of U(IV). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 71: 4644-4654.

Burgos, W. D., J. M. Senko, J. J. Stone, B. A. Dempsey, E. E. Roden, K. M. Kemner, S. D. Kelley, B. Gu. 2007. Humic materials decrease biological U(VI) reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Environmental Engineering Science. 24: 755-761.

Senko, J. M., T. A. Dewers, L. R. Krumholz. 2005. The effect of Fe(II) form and oxidation rate on microbial nitrate-dependent Fe(III) mineralogy. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 71:7172-7177.

Senko, J. M., J. M. Suflita, L. R. Krumholz. 2005. Geochemical controls on microbial nitrate-dependent U(IV) oxidation. Geomicrobiology Journal. 22: 371-378.

Senko, J. M., Y. Mohammed, T. A. Dewers, L. R. Krumholz. 2005. Role for Fe(III) minerals in nitrate-dependent microbial U(IV) oxidation. Environmental Science and Technology. 39:2529-2536.

Senko, J. M., B. J. Campbell, J. R. Henriksen, M. S. Elshahed, T. A. Dewers, L. R. Krumholz. 2004. Barite deposition resulting from phototrophic sulfide-oxidizing bacterial activity. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 68: 773-780.

Istok, J. D., J. M. Senko, L. R. Krumholz, D. Watson, M.-A. Bogle, A. Peacock, Y.-J. Chang, D. C. White. 2003. In-situ bio-reduction of technetium and uranium in a nitrate-contaminated aquifer. Environmental Science and Technology. 38: 468-475.

Elshahed, M. S., J. M. Senko, T. A. Dewers, J. A. Spear, F. Z. Najar, S. M. Kenton, B. A. Roe, L. R. Krumholz. 2003. Bacterial diversity and sulfur cycling in a mesophilic sulfide-rich spring. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 69: 5609-5621.

Elias, D. A., J. M. Senko, L. R. Krumholz. 2003. A procedure for the quantitation of total oxidized uranium for bioremediation studies. Journal of Microbiological Methods. 53: 343-353.

Senko, J. M., J. D. Istok, J. M. Suflita, L. R. Krumholz. 2002. In-situ evidence for uranium immobilization and remobilization. Environmental Science & Technology. 36: 1491-1496.

Senko, J., J. Stolz. 2001. Evidence for iron-dependent nitrate respiration in the dissimilatory iron-reducing bacterium Geobacter metallireducens. Applied & Environmental Microbiology. 67: 3750-3752.

Martinez Murillo, F., T. Gugliuzza, J. Senko, P. Basu, J. Stolz. 1999. A heme-C-containing enzyme complex that exhibits nitrate and nitrite reductase activity from a dissimilatory iron-reducing bacterium Geobacter metallireducens. Archives of Microbiology. 172: 313-320.

Bumpus, J. A., J. Senko, G. Lynd, R. Morgan, K. Sturm, J. Stimpson, S. Roe. 1998. Biomimetic solubilization of a low rank coal: implications for its use in methane production. Energy and Fuels. 12: 664-671.