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)和胶体在水体系中迁移和滞留的因素和机制对于原位生物修复、保护地下环境免受水媒污染物的影响、水和废水处理设施的设计以及改进的植入式医疗器械的开发具有重要意义。尽管已有相当多的研究致力于阐明控制水环境中生物和非生物胶体的运输和命运的相互作用，但仍有许多未解决的问题。这项研究旨在解决生物膜及其性质和组成的变化对自然和工程水系统中微生物和颗粒的传输和滞留的影响。生物膜是包裹在自行开发的聚合物排泄物基质中的微生物的结构化群落，并附着在活的或惰性表面。在自然地下环境中，土壤颗粒表面会形成生物膜，从而改变土壤颗粒的物理化学性质，从而改变土壤颗粒的过滤效率。

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.