Colloid release and transport processes in natural and model porous media

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:126354

Roy, S B; Dzombak, D A ^[1]

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1. Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

Colloidal particles present in porous media may be released and transported over significant distances when contacted with water at low ionic strength. An understanding of this process is of environmental interest because suspended colloidal particles in groundwater may enhance the subsurface transport of contaminants that are sorbed on their surfaces. This research focused on the processes of colloid release and transport in natural porous media of interest in contaminant transport, i.e., high permeability materials with low fines contents. Our objective in this study was to examine the mechanisms of colloid release and transport in a natural sand, and two model systems: latex particles attached on glass beads, and kaolinite particles attached on glass beads. For the appropriate electrolyte conditions, the release of attached colloids from all three porous media was found to be substantial. The total amount of colloids released depended upon the electrolyte composition and concentration. Column effluent data could be described with an advective-dispersive transport equation for colloidal particles with first-order terms for colloid release and deposition rates, by changing the mass of colloids available for release at each electrolyte concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 126354
• Report Number(s): CONF-950402--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COLLOIDS
DEPOSITION
ELECTROLYTES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
KAOLINITE
LATEX
PERMEABILITY
PH VALUE
SAND