In this paper we discuss inverse problems in infiltration. We propose an efficient method for identification of model parameters, e.g., soil parameters for unsaturated porous media. Our concept is strongly based on the finite speed of propagation of the wetness front during the infiltration into a dry region. We determine the unknown parameters from the corresponding ODE system arising from the...

BACKGROUND Generally, extremophiles have been deemed to survive in the extreme environments to which they had adapted to grow. Recently many extremophiles have been isolated from places where they are not expected to grow. Alkaliphilic microorganisms have been isolated from acidic soil samples with pH 4.0, and thermophiles have been isolated from samples of low temperature. Numerous moderately ...

[1] Relative permeability of the nonwetting phase in a multiphase flow in porous media is a function of phase saturation. Specific expressions of this function are commonly determined by combining soil water retention curves with relative nonwetting phase permeability models. Experimental evidence suggests that the relative permeability of the nonwetting phase can be significantly overestimated...

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are soil-transmitted parasites and their foraging strategies are believed to range from 'ambush' to 'cruise' foragers. However, research on their behaviour has not considered the natural habitat of these nematodes. We hypothesized that EPN behaviour would be influenced by soil habitat quality and tested this hypothesis using 2 EPN species Steinernema carpocapsae...

The photochemical persistence of quinalphos, one of the most widely used organophosphorous insecticides, was investigated in a variety of environmental matrices such as natural waters and soils of different composition. Simulated solar irradiation was obtained using a xenon arc lamp (Suntest CPS+ apparatus) giving an irradiation intensity of 750 W m(-2) equivalent to a light dose per hour of ir...

A new fluid property module, EOSRn, was developed for TOUGH2 to simulate the transport of the radon gas (Rn) in saturatedunsaturated soils. It is an enhanced version of the EOS7R module for radionuclide transport, with a source term added in the transport equation to model radon generation by emanation from radioactive decay of the soil radium (Ra) content. We implemented physical properties of...

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) possessing the ability to solubilize insoluble inorganic phosphates were isolated from rhizosphere soil. Eighty-one potential PSBs thus obtained were quantitatively screened for phosphate solubilization. Of these, four bacteria found to be efficient phosphate solubilizers, were selected for further evaluation, and found that they solubilize tricalcium phosp...

Electro-osmosis in clayey soils and sediments, for purposes of clay consolidation, dewatering, or cleanup, and electro injection in porous media is widespread recent decades. It is experimentally found that the chemical properties of porous media especially PH change the characteristics of media. Electro-osmotic conductivity is a function of soil and grout material chemistry, altering with time...