Transport of gellan gum microbeads through sand: an experimental evaluation for encapsulated cell bioaugmentation.
Transport of 10-40 microm gellan gum microbeads was studied in horizontal sand columns to evaluate the feasibility of using gel-encapsulated bacteria for bioaugmentation of contaminated aquifers. Three 5.2 x 110 cm columns were packed with sand (column A: 0.5-2 mm, column B: 0.25-2 mm, and column C: 0.125-2 mm). Microbeads in artificial groundwater were injected at 0.5 l h(-1) during intermittent 12-h periods. Breakthrough of microbeads increased with injection time, varying as a descending function of travel distance. After 72 h of injection, about 75% of injected microbeads were dispersed across a 5-110 cm distance from the inlet in column A, compared to 78% across a 5-50 cm in column B, and 76% across a 5-20 cm in column C. The wider dispersion of microbeads across the length of column A, compared to those observed in columns B and C, suggests a higher potential for the formation of a uniform bioactive zone of encapsulated cells across a sandy aquifer with such grain size distribution and hydrodynamic properties.
Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montreal, Que., Canada H3A 2B2.
Peyman
P
Moslemy
Ronald J
RJ
Neufeld
Denis
D
Millette
Serge R
SR
Guiot
D001419:Bacteria; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003470:Culture Media; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014872:Water Movements; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D003470:Culture Media; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants; C048288:gellan gum; D012822:Silicon Dioxide