Effect of Interstitial Velocity on the Adsorption of Bacteria onto Soil

Abstract

The adsorption of bacteria onto soil is affected by the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and water, the size and morphology of the bacterial cells, and the water-flow characteristics in the soil. The present study focuses on the latter factor by investigating the effect of the interstitial velocity on the adsorption of bacteria onto soil. Columns of 10 cm diameter and 130 cm height, respectively, were packed with a sandy soil. The columns were saturated with water containing nalidixic acid-resistant Escherichia coli as a bio-tracer at three different pH levels. The columns were maintained at 20°C for 24 h before connecting the column outlet to its inlet by a pump in a closed loop. Water containing the biotracer was re-circulated through the column for another 24 h at three different interstitial velocities. Water samples were taken from a sampling tap connected to the pump at 4-h intervals. These samples were analyzed to determine the biotracer concentration. The results show that more biotracer cells were retained in the soil at the lower interstitial velocity. The higher interstitial velocity resulted in higher shear forces which caused more desorption of the biotracer cells from the surfaces of the soil particles. Bacterial adsorption was higher at the acidic pH value. The survival of the biotracer cells in soil solution was also tested at three different pH levels. The results show that no decline in the biotracer concentration occurred during the test period.