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Transport of microorganisms through soil

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Abstract

Microorganisms migrating into and through soil from sources on the land surface may cause a serious threat to both ground and surface waters. It has been estimated that microorganisms can migrate significant distances in the field. Results from various studies suggested that preferential flow through macropores, worm holes, cracks, and fractures is the main reason for such observations. However, a quantitative representation of this phenomenon has not been provided. Microorganisms migrate through soil by advection and dispersion, while being subjected to effects of filtration, adsorption, desorption, growth, decay, sedimentation and chemotaxis. Both laboratory and field investigations have contributed important information on bacterial movement in soils. Qualitative comparisons are generally transferable from laboratory to field situations. Quantitative agreement is much more difficult to establish. Available mathematical modelling of microbial transport is limited in practical application because of the simplifying assumptions used in its development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Jamal Abu-Ashour, Douglas M. Joy, Hugh R. Whiteley & Samuel Zelin

  2. Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

    Hung Lee

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  1. Jamal Abu-Ashour
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  2. Douglas M. Joy
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  3. Hung Lee
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  4. Hugh R. Whiteley
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  5. Samuel Zelin
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Correspondence to Hung Lee.

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Abu-Ashour, J., Joy, D.M., Lee, H. et al. Transport of microorganisms through soil. Water Air Soil Pollut 75, 141–158 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01100406

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