Pore-scale imaging of biofilm grown under varying flow rates

Biofilm growth in porous media can influence porosity, permeability, dispersion, diffusion, and mass transport of solutes. Even small scale changes in pore morphology have been shown to significantly influence the hydrodynamics of porous systems. The direct observation of biofilm formation and development in porous media is challenging. To date, porous media-associated biofilm research has focused predominantly on investigations of biomass formation in two-dimensional systems, due to (1) the opaque nature of common porous materials, and (2) the direct dependence of conventional biofilm imaging techniques on optically transparent systems. In order to further understand porous media-associated biofilm growth, techniques for quantitatively assessing the three-dimensional spatial distribution of biomass, non-destructively, within opaque porous materials is required for the development of improved reactive transport and biofilm growth models. Through the addition of a barium sulfate suspension to the aqueous phase of experimental column growth reactors, delineation of the biofilm matrix from both the solid and free-flowing aqueous phases is attainable using synchrotron based x-ray computed microtomography. Using this technique, three-dimensional imaging of biofilm within glass bead-packed column growth reactors is possible at a resolution on the order of 10 um/pixel. Results will be presented where biofilm growth characteristics and changes in porous media hydrodynamics associated with bioclogging have been investigated across the Darcy flow regime and into the steady inertial flow regime (0.1 < Re <15). Quantified image data sets are compared to measured bulk changes in hydrodynamic properties associated with biofilm growth, or bio-clogging. Bulk hydraulic properties are evaluated using a combination of tracer tests and differential pressure measurements. In addition, pore scale imaging enables the analysis of spatial changes to macropore morphology, as well as spatial variation in properties potentially relevant to reactive transport models such as biofilm thickness, reactive surface area, and attachment surface area. Quantitative analysis of these parameters will be discussed for biofilm subjected to flow loading rates corresponding to Reynolds numbers of 0.1, 1.0 and 10. An evaluation of the advantages and limitations of the presented CMT imaging method will also be provided.