This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stoner, D. L.
Right arrow Articles by Deason, V. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stoner, D. L.
Right arrow Articles by Deason, V. A.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Stoner, D. L.
Right arrow Articles by Deason, V. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2005, p. 8721-8728, Vol. 71, No. 12
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.12.8721-8728.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Application of Stereolithographic Custom Models for Studying the Impact of Biofilms and Mineral Precipitation on Fluid Flow

D. L. Stoner,1* S. M. Watson,2 R. D. Stedtfeld,1 P. Meakin,3 L. K. Griffel,1 T. L. Tyler,1,{dagger} L. M. Pegram,1 J. M. Barnes,1 and V. A. Deason2

Biological Sciences Department,1 Physics Department,2 Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho3

Received 17 September 2003/ Accepted 1 August 2005

Here we introduce the use of transparent experimental models fabricated by stereolithography for studying the impacts of biomass accumulation, minerals precipitation, and physical configuration of flow paths on liquid flow in fracture apertures. The internal configuration of the models ranged in complexity from simple geometric shapes to those that incorporate replicated surfaces of natural fractures and computationally derived fracture surfaces. High-resolution digital time-lapse imaging was employed to qualitatively observe the migration of colloidal and soluble dyes through the flow models. In this study, a Sphingomonas sp. and Sporosarcina (Bacillus) pasteurii influenced the fluid dynamics by physically altering flow paths. Microbial colonization and calcite deposition enhanced the stagnant regions adjacent to solid boundaries. Microbial growth and calcite precipitation occurred to a greater extent in areas behind the fabricated obstacles and less in high-velocity orifices.

* Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho at Idaho Falls, 1776 Science Center Drive, Suite 306, Idaho Falls, ID 83402. Phone: (208) 282-7907. Fax: (208) 282-7950. E-mail: stondl{at}if.uidaho.edu.

{dagger} Present address: Biology Department, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, December 2005, p. 8721-8728, Vol. 71, No. 12
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.12.8721-8728.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»