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A mathematical model for biological clogging of uniform porous media
Author(s) -
Seki Katsutoshi,
Miyazaki Tsuyoshi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2001wr000395
Subject(s) - clogging , hydraulic conductivity , porous medium , geotechnical engineering , porosity , biofilm , materials science , biological system , mechanics , environmental science , soil science , geology , soil water , bacteria , physics , biology , history , paleontology , archaeology
We develop a theory that explains the decrease in saturated hydraulic conductivity K s due to biological clogging of porous media. Experiments show that discontinuous microcolonies in fine‐textured soils decrease K s more severely than biofilms do. However, most existing models for biological clogging assume that bacteria cells form biofilms which uniformly cover pore walls. We propose a mathematical model for biological clogging with a quantitative evaluation of the nonuniform microbial distribution of colonies. A series of equations describing the relation between the biological clogging and the saturated hydraulic conductivity are derived. The data of previous researchers are used to validate the model.