Michaela Löffler

Contact / Addess:

E-mail:

michaela.loeffler(at)ufz.de

Phone: +49 (0) 341 235 1027

Group Aquifer Biogeochemistry

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Permoserstrasse 15
04318 Leipzig

Michaela Löffler

Curriculum Vitae


Since 2017 Doctoral Researcher
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
2019/2020 Speaker Doctoral Representation do-it
2020 Spokesperson Helmholtz Juniors HeJu
2014 - 2017 M. Sc. Geosciences
University of Tübingen
2011 - 2014 B.Sc. Geosciences
Technical University Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

PhD Project

My PhD project is part of the ANGUS II project, which investigates the subsurface for energy storage. In the power-to-gas approach, gases such as hydrogen and methane are stored underground and only pumped up to produce power when needed. In this context, I research hydrogen oxidation by microorganisms, which would lower the effectiveness of the system.

I am interested in the enzyme responsible for hydrogen oxidation, which is called hydrogenase. This enzyme can catalyse the reversible reaction H2 <-> 2e- + 2H+ as means to gain energy. During this reaction an isotopic fractionation takes place, as the enzyme usually favours the light isotope. The H-ions generated in this process can exchange with water - leading to isotopically heavier water over time. This enrichment of water might be a  basis for monitoring the subsurface storage.


Publications


Conferences

ASI2019 (presentation award, 2nd place)

Isotopes 2019

ASI2018 (award for best poster)

ISME17


Theses

M.Sc. thesis: “Natural and anthropogenic influences on the microbial community composition of the river Ammer (Tuebingen, Germany).” University of Tübingen, Germany (January 2017)

B.Sc. thesis: "Structural Analysis of the Contact between the Plattenkalk and the Phyllite-Quartzite Unit (Talea Ori, Crete)" Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (2014)