EVALUATION OF BACTERIAL DETACHMENT RATES IN POROUS-MEDIA

The ability of published biomass detachment rate expressions to descri be experimental data obtained from porous media reactors using Pseudom onas aeruginosa grown aerobically on glucose was evaluated. A first-or der rate expression on attached biomass concentration best reflected e ffluent substrate concentration for combined data sets. Detachment rat e coefficient k(d1) was dependent on initial substrate concentration. Simulation of porous media reactor experiments indicated that response s using higher influent substrate concentrations possessed greater sen sitivity to variations in k(d1). Simulations of field bioremediation s ystems suggest the use of accurate biofilm development kinetics is imp ortant in the prediction of well bore biofouling.