Predicting Macroscopic Colloidal Deposition And Transportation Based On Dimensionless Tabor'S Parameter

Bacterial deposition-transportation via a porous medium can be quantified by a dimensionless Tabor's parameter, mu, which accounts for the deformation of an elastic sphere in the presence of intersurface forces based on the classical Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. A concentrated solution of model spheres or bacterial strains passing through a packed sand column leads to water filtration, where the efficiency is measured by the efflux concentration, C/C-0, of particles. Experimental data of model latex spheres with ranges of size, ionic concentration and pH obtained by Elimelech, and our measurements of six different bacterial strains are analyzed. A strong correlation between C/C-0 and mu is found and can be used to predict deposition-transportation once the microscopic properties are known.