Durability of Bioclogging Treatment of Soils
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 9
Abstract
A study of the clogging of two soils, a sand with grains ranging from 0.4 to 4 mm, and a gravel with grains ranging from 1 to 10 mm, was carried out by feeding the bacteria initially present in the soils. The focus of this research is to study the durability of bioclogging. The results showed that clogging occurred quickly after the injection of nutrients. The soils were subjected to gradient increases and a critical hydraulic gradient (corresponding to the gradient for which unclogging occurred and an increase in the flow of water was observed) was determined. It is equal to 0.8 for the sand and to 0.06 for the gravel. The durability of bioclogged soils was also studied by performing 10 to 30 hydraulic gradient cycles between the initial value and . For the sand, the permeability increase after the cycles was very low. In contrast, in the gravel, unclogging occurred very quickly, highlighting the influence of grain size and materials grading.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The present research was supported by Electricité de France and carried out in cooperation with Deltares, Netherlands.
References
AFNOR (Association Française de NORmalisation). (1996). “Sols: reconnaissance et essais. Analyse granulométrique, méthode par tamisage à sec après lavage.”, 1–16 (in French).
ASTM. (2006a). “Test methods for maximum index density and unit weight of soils using a vibratory table.” ASTM D4253, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006b). “Test methods for minimum index density and unit weight of soils and calculation of relative density.” ASTM D4254, West Conshohocken, PA.
Baveye, P., and Dumestre, A. (1998). “Comments on experimental study on the reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity by enhanced biomass.” Soil Sci., 163(9), 759–761.
Baveye, P., and Valocchi, A. (1989). “An evaluation of mathematical models of the transport of biologically reacting solutes in saturated soils and aquifers.” Water Resour. Res., 25(6), 1413–1421.
Baveye, P., Vandevivere, P., Hoyle, B. L., Deleo, P. C., and Sanchez De Lozada, D. (1998). “Environmental impact and mechanisms of the biological clogging of saturated soils and aquifer materials.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol., 28(2), 123–191.
Bielefeldt, A. R., Illangasekare, T., Uttecht, M., and LaPlante, R. (2002). “Biodegradation of propylene glycol and associated hydrodynamic effects in sand.” Water Res., 36(7), 1707–1714.
Blauw, M., Lambert, J. M. W., and Latil, M. N. (2009). “BioSealing: A method for in situ sealing of leakages.” Proc., 9th Int. Symp. on Ground Improvement Technologies and Case Histories, ISGI’09, Singapore, 125–130.
Bubela, B. (1985). “Effect of biological activity on the movement of fluids through porous rocks and sediments and its application to enhanced oil recovery.” Geomicrobiol. J., 4(3), 313–327.
Clement, T. P., Hooker, B. S., and Skeen, R. S. (1996). “Macroscopic models for predicting changes in saturated porous media properties caused by microbial growth.” Ground Water, 34(5), 934–942.
Cooke, A. J., Rowe, R. K., Vangulck, J., and Rittmann, B. E. (2005). “Application of the bioclog model for landfill leachate clogging of gravel-packed columns.” Can. Geotech. J., 42(6), 1600–1614.
CoŞkuner, G. (1997). “Microvisual study of multiphase gas condensate flow in porous media.” Transp. Porous Media, 28(1), 1–18.
Council Regulation EEC. (1993). “The evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances.”, 1–135.
Cunningham, A. B., Characklis, W. G., Abedeen, F., and Crawford, D. (1991). “Influence of biofilm accumulation on porous media hydrodynamics.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 25(7), 1305–1311.
Dupin, H. J., and McCarty, P. L. (2000). “Impact of colony morphologies and disinfection on biological clogging in porous media.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 34(8), 1513–1520.
Eklund, D., and Stille, H. (2008). “Penetrability due to filtration tendency of cement-based grouts.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol., 23(4), 389–398.
Engesgaard, P., Seifert, D., and Herrera, P. (2006). “Bioclogging in porous media: Tracer studies.” Riverbank filtration hydrology, Nato science series: IV: Earth and environmental sciences, Springer, Netherlands, 93–118.
Flemming, H., and Wingender, J. (2010). “The biofilm matrix.” Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 8(9), 623–633.
Guo, H., Cheng, X., and Li, M. (2013). “Experimental analysis of bio-stimulated sealing process in environmental geotechnical engineering.” Sci. China Technol. Sci., 56(3), 732–738.
Hand, V. L., Lloyd, J. R., Vaughan, D. J., Wilkins, M. J., and Boult, S. (2008). “Experimental studies of the influence of grain size, oxygen availability and organic carbon availability on bioclogging in porous media.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 42(5), 1485–1491.
Hassink, J., Bouwman, L. A., Zwart, K. B., Bloem, J., and Brussaard, L. (1993). “Relationships between soil texture, physical protection of organic matter, soil biota, and c and n mineralization in grassland soils.” Geoderma, 57(1–2), 105–128.
Huysman, F., and Verstraete, W. (1993). “Effect of cell surface characteristics on the adhesion of bacteria to soil particles.” Biol. Fertil. Soils, 16(1), 21–26.
James, G. A., Warwood, B. K., Hiebert, R., and Cunningham, A. B. (2000). “Microbial barriers to the spread of pollution.” Bioremediation, J. Valdes, ed., Springer, Netherlands, 1–13.
Kenney, T. C., and Lau, D. (1985). “Internal stability of granular filters.” Can. Geotech. J., 22(2), 215–225.
Kenney, T. C., and Lau, D. (1986). “Internal stability of granular filters: Reply.” Can. Geotech. J., 23(3), 420–423.
Kim, D.-S., and Fogler, H. S. (2000). “Biomass evolution in porous media and its effects on permeability under starvation conditions.” Biotechnol. Bioeng., 69(1), 47–56.
Kim, G. (2004). “Hydraulic conductivity change of bio-barrier formed in the subsurface by the adverse conditions including freeze-thaw cycles.” Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 38(2-3), 153–164.
Lambert, J. W. M., Novakowski, K., Blauw, M., Latil, M. N., Knight, L., and Bayona, L. (2010). “Pamper bacteria, they will help us: Application of biochemical mechanisms in geo-environmental engineering.” Proc., GeoFlorida 2010: Advances in Analysis, Modeling, and Design, ASCE, Reston, VA, 618–627.
Lisa, H., Gunnar, G., Åsa, F., and Tommy, N. (2013). “A statistical grouting decision method based on water pressure tests for the tunnel construction stage—A case study.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol., 33, 54–62.
Loehle, C., and Johnson, P. (1994). “A framework for modeling microbial transport and dynamics in the subsurface.” Ecol. Modell., 73(1-2), 31–49.
Mikkelsen, E. (2002). “Cement-bentonite grout backfill for borehole instruments.” Geote News-Vancouver, 20(4), 38–42.
Murphy, E. M., and Ginn, T. R. (2000). “Modeling microbial processes in porous media.” Hydrogeol. J., 8(1), 142–158.
Okubo, T., and Matsumoto, J. (1983). “Biological clogging of sand and changes of organic constituents during artificial recharge.” Water Res., 17(7), 813–821.
Ouyang, S., and Daemen, J. J. K. (1996). “Performance of bentonite and bentonite/crushed rock borehole seals.” Sealing of boreholes and underground excavations in rock, K. Fuenkajorn and J. J. K. Daemen, eds., Springer, Netherlands, 65–95.
Paksy, A., Powrie, W., Robinson, J. P., and Peeling, L. (1998). “A laboratory investigation of anaerobic microbial clogging in granular landfill drainage media.” Geotechnique, 48(3), 389–401.
Ragusa, S. R., Zoysa, D. S., and Rengasamy, P. (1994). “The effect of microorganisms, salinity and turbidity on hydraulic conductivity of irrigation channel soil.” Irrig. Sci., 15(4), 159–166.
Rutherford, P. M., and Juma, N. G. (1992). “Influence of texture on habitable pore space and bacterial-protozoan populations in soil.” Biol. Fertil. Soils, 12(4), 221–227.
Sanchez de Lozada, D., Vandevivere, P., Baveye, P., and Zinder, S. (1994). “Decrease of the hydraulic conductivity of sand columns by Methanosarcina barkeri.” World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 10(3), 325–333.
Seifert, D., and Engesgaard, P. (2007). “Use of tracer tests to investigate changes in flow and transport properties due to bioclogging of porous media.” J. Contam. Hydrol., 93(1-4), 58–71.
Seki, K., Miyazaki, T., and Nakano, M. (1998). “Effects of microorganisms on hydraulic conductivity decrease in infiltration.” Eur. J. Soil Sci., 49(2), 231–236.
Seki, K., Thullner, M., Hanada, J., and Miyazaki, T. (2006). “Moderate bioclogging leading to preferential flow paths in biobarriers.” Ground Water Monit. Rem., 26(3), 68–76.
Stille, H., Gustafson, G., and Hassler, L. (2012). “Application of new theories and technology for grouting of dams and foundations on rock.” Geotech. Geol. Eng., 30(3), 603–624.
Tan, Y., Bond, W. J., Rovira, A. D., Brisbane, P. G., and Griffin, D. M. (1991). “Movement through soil of a biological control agent, Pseudomonas fluorescens.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 23(9), 821–825.
Tay, J.-H., Liu, Q.-S., and Liu, Y. (2001). “The effects of shear force on the formation, structure and metabolism of aerobic granules.” Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 57(1), 227–233.
Terzaghi, K. (1953). Origin and functions of soil mechanics, Harvard Univ., ASCE, Cambridge, MA, 666–696.
Thullner, M., Schroth, M. H., Zeyer, J., and Kinzelbach, W. (2004). “Modeling of a microbial growth experiment with bioclogging in a two-dimensional saturated porous media flow field.” J. Contam. Hydrol., 70(1-2), 37–62.
Thullner, M., Zeyer, J., and Kinzelbach, W. (2002). “Influence of microbial growth on hydraulic properties of pore networks.” Transp. Porous Media, 49(1), 99–122.
Uhlirova, E., and Santruckova, H. (2003). “Growth rate of bacteria is affected by soil texture and extraction procedure.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 35(2), 217–224.
USCS (Unified Soil Classification System). (2006). “Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.
Van Beek, V. M., Den Hamer, D., Lambert, J. W. M., Latil, M. N., and Van Der Zon, W. H. (2007). “Biosealing, a natural sealing mechanism that locates and repairs leaks.” 1st Int. Conf. on Self Healing Materials, Springer, Netherlands.
Vandevivere, P., and Baveye, P. (1992a). “Effect of bacterial extracellular polymers on the saturated hydraulic conductivity of sand columns.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 58(5), 1690–1698.
Vandevivere, P., and Baveye, P. (1992b). “Saturated hydraulic conductivity reduction caused by aerobic bacteria in sand columns.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 56(1), 1–13.
Vandevivere, P., Baveye, P., De Lozada, D., and Deleo, P. (1995). “Microbial clogging of saturated soils and aquifer materials: Evaluation of mathematical models.” Water Resour. Res., 31(9), 2173–2180.
Veenbergen, V., and Lambert, J. W. M. (2005). BioSealing: How micro-organisms become our little allies in repairing leaks in underground constructions, Taylor & Francis Group, London, 575–580.
Weaver, K. D., and Bruce, D. A. (2007). Dam foundation grouting, ASCE, Baltimore.
Wu, J., Wu, Y., Lu, J., and Lee, L. (2007). “Field investigations and laboratory simulation of clogging in Lixi tailings dam of Jinduicheng, China.” Environ. Geol., 53(2), 387–397.
Zhang, X., and Bishop, P. L. (2003). “Biodegradability of biofilm extracellular polymeric substances.” Chemosphere, 50(1), 63–69.
Zhong, X., and Wu, Y. (2013a). “Bioclogging in porous media under continuous-flow condition.” Environ. Earth Sci., 68(8), 2417–2425.
Zhong, X., Wu, Y., and Xu, Z. (2013b). “Bioclogging in porous media under discontinuous flow condition.” Water. Air. Soil Pollut., 224(5), 1–12.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 9 • September 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 5, 2014
Accepted: Jan 22, 2016
Published online: May 2, 2016
Published in print: Sep 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 2, 2016
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.