Since the early 1980s Wolfgang Sand´s working group Aquatic Biotechnology deals with microbial surface processes such as the bioleaching of metal sulfides and the microbial influenced corrosion (MIC) of concrete and steel. Consequently, our scientific expertise is the microbiology of the iron, manganese, and sulfur cycles, which include moderate and extreme acidophilic iron and sulfur compound-oxidizing species (e. g. of the genera Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum) and manganese ion-oxidizing as well as sulfate-reducing bacteria.

Investigations for the basic understanding of applied problems (biofouling, biocorrosion, bioleaching) dealing with the naturally occurring elemental cycles at microbial surface layers (biofilms) are performed at lab and technical scale, as well as in the field (in situ). As a result, also problems relevant in biotechnology and environmental technology are touched (e. g. metal winning from low-grade ores, monitoring and remediation of heavy metal-contaminated groundwater, microbial influenced corrosion) which are investigated in cooperation with numerous industrial partners. Furthermore, we are active member in various German and international expert groups discussing questions of bioleaching and microbial influenced corrosion. Hereby, a know-how exchange (in part from and to non-microbiological research disciplines and into the practice) is guaranteed keeping our co-workers qualified and at the state of the art.

The scientific orientation of the working group Aquatic Biotechnology currently includes investigations about biocorrosion processes of (technical used) steel constructions (e. g. sheet pile walls), bioflotation and microbial surface settlement of sulfidic minerals as well as the physiology of relevant bacterial strains. In addition, novel sealing systems for (waste)water pipes are developed with particular attention to thus far not considered microbial settlement and degradation capacities.