Influence of the Gas-Water Interface on Transport of Microorganisms through Unsaturated Porous Media

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.60.2.509-516.1994
• Publication Date: 2020-01-01T04:55:57Z
• Authors: Jiamin Wan; John L. Wilson; Thomas L. Kieft
• Keywords: Micromodel; Saturation (graph theory)

In this article, a new mechanism influencing the transport of microorganisms through unsaturated porous media is examined, and method for directly visualizing bacterial behavior within medium under controlled chemical flow conditions introduced. Resting cells hydrophilic relatively hydrophobic strains isolated from groundwater were used as model microorganisms. The degree hydrophobicity was determined by contact-angle measurements. Glass micromodels allowed direct observation on pore scale, three types sand columns with different gas saturations provided quantitative measurements observed phenomena scale. reproducibility each break-through curve established in to five repeated experiments. data collected column experiments can be explained micromodel retention rate bacteria proportional saturation because preferential sorption onto gas-water interface over solid-water interface. mainly cell surface simulated forces between organisms interfaces. essentially irreversible capillary forces. This at strongly influences movement spatial distribution