[1] Straining may influence the mobility of colloid-sized particles within groundwater aquifers as well as within granular filters that are used in wastewater treatment. We conducted column transport experiments using latex microspheres as the colloids and quartz sand as the porous medium to investigate the response of colloid straining to changes in colloid diameter (d p ) and sand grain diameter (d g ). For these experiments the negatively charged microspheres were suspended in deionized water, and the quartz sand was thoroughly cleaned to minimize physicochemical deposition (attachment), which permitted the determination of straining in an unambiguous way. The measurements of strained (immobile phase) and effluent (aqueous phase) colloid concentrations could be described with a transport model that accounted for an exponential decline in straining rates with increasing concentrations of strained colloids. Best fit values of the model coefficient that quantified clean bed straining rates (k o ) were negligibly small for d p /d g < 0.008 and, above this threshold, varied linearly with d p /d g . Our findings suggest that accurate inferences on the mobility of colloid-sized particles will require consideration of the effects of straining when d p /d g exceeds 0.008.

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We explore the effects of colloid shape on straining kinetics by measuring the filtration of spherical and nonspherical colloids within saturated columns packed with quartz sand. Our observations demonstrate that the transport of peanut-shaped colloids matches the transport of spherical colloids with diameters equal to the minor-axis length of the peanut-shaped colloids. The straining rates of the spherical colloids vary linearly with the ratio of colloid diameter (d(p)) to sand-grain diameter (d(g)) for 0.0083 < d(p)/d(g) < 0.06. This linear relationship also quantifies the straining rates of the peanut-shaped particles provided that the particle's minor axis length is used for d(p). Results of pore-scale simulations reveal that a peanut-shaped particle adopts a preferred orientation as it approaches a pore-space constriction such that its major axis tends to align with the local flow direction. The extent of this reorientation increases with the particle's aspect ratio. Findings from this research suggest that straining is sensitive to changes in colloid shape and thatthe kinetics of this process can be approximated on the basis of measurable properties of the nonspherical colloids and porous media.

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In this research, tetracycline resistant (tet R ) and tetracycline susceptible (tet S ) Escherichia coli isolates were retrieved from dairy manure and the influence of tetracycline resistance on the transport of E. coli in saturated porous media was investigated through laboratory column transport experiments. Experimental results showed that tet R E. coli strains had higher mobility than the tet S strains in saturated porous media. Measurements of cell surface properties suggested that tet R E. coli strains exhibited lower zeta potentials than the tet S strains. Because the surface of clean quartz sands is negatively charged, the repulsive electrostatic double layer (EDL) interaction between the tet R cells and the surface of sands was stronger and thus facilitated the transport of the tet R cells. Although no difference was observed in surface acidity, cell size, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) sugar content and cell-bound protein levels between the tet R and tet S strains, they displayed distinct outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles. It was likely that the difference in OMPs, some potentially related to drug efflux pumps, between the tet R and tet S strains led to alteration in cell surface properties which in turn affected cell transport in saturated porous media. Findings from this research suggested that manure-derived tet R E. coli could spread more widely in the groundwater system and pose serious public health risks.

Consumption of groundwater contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 has led to several waterborne disease outbreaks over the past decade. A thorough understanding of the transport of E. coli O157:H7 within the soil-groundwater system is critical to the protection of public health. Although phosphate is ubiquitous in the natural environment, the influence of phosphate on the transport of E. coli O157:H7 in the groundwater system remains unknown. In this research, we performed column transport experiments to evaluate the effect of phosphate on the transport of E. coli O157:H7 cells within saturated sand. The pH of the solutions was maintained at 7.2, the ionic strength varied from 10 to 100 mM, and the phosphate concentration ranged from 0 to 1 mM. Our results show that (1) phosphate could enhance the transport of E. coli O157:H7 cells under both ionic strength conditions; (2) E. coli O157:H7 displayed lower retention in sand under higher ionic strength conditions; (3) increased phosphate in the mobile aqueous phase led to the release of previously immobilized E. coli O157:H7 cells. The response of E. coli O157:H7 cells to variations in phosphate concentrations and ionic strength conditions are explained using the extended DLVO (XDLVO) theory and the steric repulsion caused by extracellular macromolecules. In summary, our results suggest that phosphate could widen the spread of E. coli O157:H7 cells, and potentially other types of bacterial cells, within the soil-groundwater system.

The successful use of bromide (Br-) as a conservative tracer for hydrological tests in wetland systems requires minimal Br- loss due to plant uptake. The uptake of Br- by two wetland plants, cattail (Typha latifolia L.) and reed grass (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud), was investigated in greenhouse flow-through microcosms. Concentrations of Br- and other pertinent constituents in sediment pore water were measured at 2 cm depth increments in the sediment column. The vertical Br- concentration profiles in the sediments clearly revealed Br- uptake by T. latifolia and by P. australis. X-ray spectroscopy studies of bromine in plant samples revealed the accumulation of Br- in root and leaf tissues. Plant transpiration was found to significantly concentrate dissolved species in sediments and was accounted for in the calculations of Br uptake rates. Michaelis-Menten kinetics satisfactorily describe Br- uptake by T. latifolia. The uptake of Br- by P. australis, however, showed unique features that could not be described using Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The addition of chloride (Cl-) effectively inhibited Br- uptake, and the uptake of Cl- and Br- by T. latifolia was shown to follow dual-substrate Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Results of this study indicate that the use of Br- for tracer experiments in vegetated wetland systems should be evaluated with great caution.

Drinking water source contamination poses a great threat to human health in developing countries. Point-of-use (POU) water treatment techniques, which improve drinking water quality at the household level, offer an affordable and convenient way to obtain safe drinking water and thus can reduce the outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Ceramic water filters (CWFs), fabricated from locally sourced materials and manufactured by local labor, are one of the most socially acceptable POU water treatment technologies because of their effectiveness, low-cost and ease of use. This review concisely summarizes the critical factors that influence the performance of CWFs, including (1) CWF manufacturing process (raw material selection, firing process, silver impregnation), and (2) source water quality. Then, an in-depth discussion is presented with emphasis on key research efforts to address two major challenges of conventional CWFs, including (1) simultaneous increase of filter flow rate and bacterial removal efficiency, and (2) removal of various concerning pollutants, such as viruses and metal(loid)s. To promote the application of CWFs, future research directions can focus on: (1) investigation of pore size distribution and pore structure to achieve higher flow rates and effective pathogen removal by elucidating pathogen transport in porous ceramic and adjusting manufacture parameters; and (2) exploration of new surface modification approaches with enhanced interaction between a variety of contaminants and ceramic surfaces.