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The overall objective is to establish a clear understanding and ability to predict the physical and chemical mechanisms that are controlling pathogen fate in porous media.
Approach: Established theory will be utilized to determine colloid-colloid and colloid-grain interaction energies. Real time direct observation of pore-scale deposition processes using video microscopy in impinging jet and micromodel systems will also be utilized to determine dominant deposition mechanisms. Batch and column scale experiments will be performed to provide additional information on deposition mechanisms and profiles with transport distance. Continuum based flow and transport models will be utilized and modified to simulate the breakthrough curves and deposition profiles in these column experiments, and to predict the influence of various observations at larger spatial and temporal scales. SCA with U.C. Riverside.