MICROBES AND AIRPLANES: INVESTIGATING MICROBIOLOGICALLY-INFLUENCED CORROSION OF SUBMERGED WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT WRECK SITES
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Date
July 2024
Access
2025-07-01
Authors
Bush, Dominic W.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
East Carolina University
Abstract
There is perhaps no better symbol of the destruction, technological advancement, and geographical scale of World War II than aircraft. Today, thousands of these wartime vestiges are located beneath the ocean’s surface, serving as a highly sought after form of material culture. While archaeologists tend to opt for in situ preservation strategies, there are those who have advocated for a different ‘preferred’ option, instead promoting recovery. Proponents of the latter perspective have levied charges of inaction against archaeologists, citing unchecked degradation as the impetus for salvaging submerged aircraft wreck sites. To counter these claims, and better understand the degradative forces that place these sites at risk, the totality of environmental factors needs to be comprehensively assessed. This includes a site’s microbiome, as previous research has indicated that colonizing microorganisms have the potential to detrimentally impact steel shipwreck sites and other forms of underwater cultural heritage. However, aluminum aircraft of World War II have yet to be the focus of similar investigations, leaving a void in the field’s understanding regarding in situ preservation threats. Thus, this dissertation is the first attempt to extend this line of research to submerged aircraft wreck sites, using four sites in Hawaiʻi. The first step involves characterizing the microbes present, which necessitated sound collection protocols for obtaining microbial samples. The methodology developed for this project was designed to be practical, affordable, and amenable to a variety of uses. The successful collection of biofilm, the main form of biofouling on submerged aircraft wreck sites, enabled DNA sequencing of the material from these samples. The sequencing results allowed for an interpretation of the microbial assemblages associated with corroded and non-corroded wreck surfaces. While no significant taxonomic differences were identified between corroded and non-corroded samples, the study succeeded in defining the microbial communities of submerged aircraft wreck site biofilm, which appeared compositionally-distinct from those of the surrounding seawater and sediment. In addition to identifying key constituents, the data indicated that environmental factors, including the background microbiome and sedimentary interactions, play a prominent role in shaping submerged aircraft wreck site biofilms. Ultimately, evidence of microbiologically-influenced corrosion of submerged aircraft wreck sites remains inconclusive, although significant strides were made in understanding the microbial communities associated with these sites. For archaeological management, the study provides a sound methodology for future collections, baseline data, and the identification of necessary approaches and additional lines of evidence. There is an inherent value in being the first to attempt to see what works, thus serving as a launching point for future, more sophisticated forms of analyses that strive towards developing definitive statements on the relevancy of microbiologically-influenced corrosion to the in situ preservation of submerged aircraft wreck sites.