title: A technique using a membrane flow cell to determine average mass transfer coefficients and tortuosity factors in biofilms.
abstract: Average mass transfer coefficients of an inert compound (LiCI) within denitrifying biofilms were monitored during biofilm growth in a membrane flow cell under different flow conditions, until the biofilm reached (pseudo-) steady state. Average effective diffusivities were found to increase with the decrease tortuosity factors of the biofilm matrix. The lowest tortuosity factor corresponded the highest liquid velocity.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: García López
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Melo
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms; D004058:Diffusion; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial