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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: Direct measurement of pathogen-pathogen interaction forces using atomic force microscopy (AFM) 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 systems will also be utilized to determine dominant deposition mechanisms. A three dimensional particle trajectory model will be developed to study pore-scale transport and deposition processes in porous media composed of spherical grains. This model will explicitly account for the presence of grain to grain contacts and interaction energies, and will provide a theoretical basis for exploring the potential role of colloid-colloid interactions.