Effect of concentration of silica encapsulated ds-DNA colloidal microparticles on their transport through saturated porous media

We investigated the transport and retention kinetics of silica encapsulated – core double stranded DNA particles (SiDNASi) through 15 cm saturated quartz sand columns as a function wide range colloid injection concentrations (C0 = 8.7 ×102 - 6.6 ×108 ml?1). The breakthrough curves (BTCs) exhibited an overall 2-log increase maximum relative effluent concentration with increasing C0. Inverse curve fitting, using HYDRUS1D, demonstrated that 1-site first order kinetic attachment (katt) detachment (kdet) model sufficed to explain C0-dependent SiDNASi behaviour. With C0, katt log-linearly decreased, which could be expressed decrease in single-collector removal efficiency (?). ? was likely due increased electrostatic repulsion between aqueous phase- solid phase colloids, formation shadow zones downstream deposited colloids weakly attached from (quartz sand) attributing phase-solid intercolloidal collisions concentration. Our results implied, firstly, should carefully considered determining colloidal behaviour porous media. Secondly, dynamics column studies not compared without considering influent Thirdly, our implied applicability conservative subsurface tracer restricted, since distance dependent. However, uniqueness sequences imparts advantage concurrent use multiple for flow tracking or media characterization.