Bacteria movement in soil matrix, macropores, and partially blocked macropores

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:20014873

Abu-Ashour, J; Joy, D M; Lee, H; Whiteley, H R; Zelin, S

Bacteria migrating into and through soil from sources on the land surface may cause a serious threat to both ground and surface waters. Rapid movement of a tracer bacterium through the soil have been observed after some applications of manure to agricultural fields. Preferential flow through macrospores has been suggested as the main reason for these observations. Movement of a tracer bacterium, nalidixic acid-resistant Escherichia coli, was studied in soil columns repacked at different soil water contents and containing artificially created macropores. In one column containing macropores the top soil was disturbed to form partially blocked macropores. Results from these experiments showed a significant increase in the number of biotracer cells passing through the soil column when fully open macropores were present and the soil was wet. There was no passage of biotracer cells through a dry soil with macropores. No biotracer cells were eluted from columns without macropores even when the soils were wet. There was also no passage of biotracer cells through soil with partially blocked macropores. These results ascertain the important role that continuous macropores play in the movement of bacteria through heterogeneous soils.

• Research Organization: Jordan Univ. of Science and Technology, Irbid (JO)
• OSTI ID: 20014873
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
ESCHERICHIA COLI
GROUND DISPOSAL
GROUND WATER
MANURES
SOILS