Macroscopic and microscopic aspects of microbe and colloid transport and retention in aqueous systems

了解控制微生物（如细菌和原生动物）和胶体在水系统中的运输和保留的因素和机制对于原位生物修复、保护地下环境免受水污染、设计水和废水处理设施以及开发改进的植入式医疗器械非常重要。虽然相当大的研究工作已经针对阐明的相互作用，管理运输和命运的生物和非生物胶体在水环境中，一些悬而未决的问题仍然存在。本研究旨在解决生物膜及其性质和组成变化对自然和工程水系统中微生物和颗粒传输和保留的影响。生物膜是一种结构化的微生物群落，它被封闭在排泄的聚合物基质中，并粘附在活性或惰性表面上。在自然的地下环境中，生物膜可以在土壤颗粒表面形成，从而改变其物理化学性质，从而改变其过滤效率。

Understanding the factors and mechanisms controlling the transport and retention of microorganisms (e.g, bacteria and protozoa) and colloids in aqueous systems is important for in-situ bioremediation, protection of subsurface environments from waterborne contaminants, design of water and wastewater treatment facilities, and development of improved implantable medical devices. Although considerable research efforts have been directed at elucidating the interactions governing the transport and fate of biological and nonbiological colloids in aqueous environments, a number of unresolved issues remain. This research aims to address the influence of biofilms and variations in their properties and composition on microbial and particle transport and retention in natural and engineered aqueous systems. Biofilms are structured communities of microorganisms enclosed within a self-developed matrix of excreted polymeric substances and adherent to a living or inert surface. In the natural subsurface environment, biofilm can form on the surface of soil grains, thereby altering their physicochemical properties and hence their filtration efficiency.