ABSTRACT
The factors which control the rate and extent of bacterial transport in porous media are usually divided into two major categories: hydrogeological and biological. Many of the experiments associated with particle transport in porous media, including transport of bacteria, have been performed in columns containing a uniformly sized medium. Bacteria preferentially travels through the larger of the paths, and the cells in those paths are least affected by interactions with porous medium grains. In general, bacteria tended to adhere more to minerals with a greater proportion of leachable ions than to more inert substances. A potentially important rarely considered aspect controlling the movement of bacteria in porous media is the role that gas-water interfaces may play in microbial transport. Nearly all of the data thus far collected point to the fact that microorganisms are transported through the subsurface and that dispersal of bacteria is an ongoing process.
