Size- and concentration-dependent deposition of fluorescent silica colloids in saturated sand columns: transport experiments and modeling

Abstract

This study investigates the size and concentration effects on the transport of silica colloids in columns of sandy aquifer material. Colloid transport experiments were performed with specifically developed fluorescent labeled silica colloids in columns of a repacked natural porous medium under hydro-geochemical conditions representative of sandy aquifers. Breakthrough curves and vertical deposition profiles of colloids were measured for various colloid concentrations and sizes. The results showed that for a given colloid concentration injected, deposition increased when increasing the size of the colloids. For a given colloid size, retention was also shown to be highly concentration-dependent with a non-monotonous pattern presenting low and high concentration specificities. Deposition increases when increasing both size and injected concentration, until a threshold concentration is reached, above which retention decreases, thus increasing colloid mobility. Results observed above the threshold concentration agree with a classical blocking mechanism typical of a high concentration regime. Results observed at lower colloid concentrations were not modeled with a classical blocking model and a depth- and time-dependent model with a second order kinetic law was necessary to correctly fit the experimental data in the entire range of colloid concentrations with a single set of parameters for each colloidal size. The colloid deposition mechanisms occuring at low concentrations were investigated through a pore structure analysis carried out with Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry and image analysis. The determined pore size distribution permitted estimation of the maximal retention capacity of the natural sand as well as some low flow zones. Altogether, these results stress the key role of the pore space geometry of the sand in controlling silica colloids deposition under hydro-geochemical conditions typical of sandy aquifers. Our results also showed originally that colloid mobility in porous media is not only favored at high colloid concentrations, but also at very low concentrations, which are more likely to be observed in groundwater.