Examining bacterial transport in intact cores from Oyster, Virginia: Effect of sedimentary facies type on bacterial breakthrough and retention

Simultaneous Transport of Two Bacterial Strains in Intact Cores from Oyster, Virginia: Biological Effects and Numerical Modeling

“…The main purpose of the project is to evaluate the relative importance of physical, chemical, and biological effects in bacterial transport. In preparation for field-scale experiments, extensive laboratory experiments with intact cores and a variety of indigenous groundwater bacterial strains have been performed (12,13,17). In previous work, we addressed the relative importance of physical and chemical factors in bacterial attachment to mineral grains.…”

“…In most bacterial transport studies, bacterial attachment to mineral grains significantly impairs effective dispersion of the introduced bacteria throughout the aquifer (8,23,25). Bacterial attachment to mineral grain surfaces is influenced by biological factors associated with the bacterial cells and by physical and chemical factors associated with a granular aquifer (12,17,22,34).The physical, chemical, and biological effects are typically grouped into two probabilities, as described in filtration theory: the probability of bacterial collision with a sediment grain collector upon approach (collector efficiency) and the probability of bacterial attachment to the collector upon collision (collision efficiency). The collector efficiency accounts for the physical factors (interception, diffusion, and gravitational settling processes) that control the frequency of bacterial collisions with grain surfaces relative to the flux of bacteria toward the collectors.…”

“…In most bacterial transport studies, bacterial attachment to mineral grains significantly impairs effective dispersion of the introduced bacteria throughout the aquifer (8,23,25). Bacterial attachment to mineral grain surfaces is influenced by biological factors associated with the bacterial cells and by physical and chemical factors associated with a granular aquifer (12,17,22,34).…”

Geochemical characterization using geophysical data and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods: A case study at the South Oyster bacterial transport site in Virginia

“…The integration of cross-hole geophysical data and borehole measurements has the potential for providing highresolution information about the spatial distribution of extractable Fe(II) and Fe(III) concentrations. The estimated data, together with other information, may be useful for estimating microbial iron reduction potential [Murray et al, 2001], and for aiding in estimation of bacterial transport parameters [Fuller et al, 2000]. Although the statistical model is developed according to the data collected from a specific site for estimating solid Fe(II) and Fe(III) concentrations, the idea that geochemical parameters and geophysical attributes can be linked through their mutual dependence on physical and lithologic properties should be applicable for estimation of other geophysical parameters.…”

“…We choose to estimate the spatial distribution of extractable Fe(II) and Fe(III) concentrations because many studies have shown that metal oxyhydroxide coatings (iron, aluminum, and manganese) have the potential to exert a strong influence on bacterial transport in aquifers [Scholl and Harvey, 1992;DeFlaun et al, 1997;Fuller et al, 2000;Knapp et al, 2002;Mailloux et al, 2003]. At the South Oyster site, iron coatings have been recognized as one of the most important factors for understanding bacterial transport [DeFlaun et al, 1997;Dong et al, 2002;Mailloux et al, 2003].…”