Colloidal transport and agglomeration in column studies for advanced run-off filtration facilities--particle size and time resolved monitoring of effluents with flow-field-flow-fractionation.

The efficiency of road run-off filtration facilities based on ion-exchange materials is reduced by pollutants which are transported bound to particles. To quantify the factors governing particle transport phenomena, a simplified model consisting of quartz sand-filled columns representing the filter/soil was set up. Suspensions of artificial clays, cold water-extracted natural clays, and real run-off were used as model effluents. Five experiments were performed: breakthrough of a natural soil suspension, remobilization of a natural soil suspension after ionic strength-drop, the same two experiments with a suspension of the artificial clay mineral Laponite, and the remobilization of run-off accumulated on a column at high ionic strength with an ionic strength down-gradient. Short-interval effluent fractions were analysed by flow-field-flow-fractionation (F4) to obtain the size distributions of the colloids present. The size distributions of subsequent fractions were then plotted in a staggered arrangement to give three-dimensional graphs that are time- and particle size-resolved. With this method the subsequent release of different agglomerate sizes formed on the column could be shown for the artificial clay mineral, questioning its use as a model colloid. The combined particle size- and time-resolved plots proved to be a powerful tool for monitoring colloidal solids in column effluents.

Comparison of growth and primary shunt product formation by Claviceps purpurea cultured on succinic acid and glucose as carbon sources.

Growth on a medium containing succinic acid as the sole carbon source produced 1 g (dry weight) of mycelium per liter of medium by 50 days of incubation, whereas 25 g of mycelium was produced in 10 days when glucose was also present in the medium. Primary shunt metabolism took place during growth on succinic acid in spite of the extremely slow growth. Mycelia grown on succinic acid contained a higher percentage of residual mycelium and phosphate, but a lower percentage of mannitol, carbohydrate, lipid, and water-soluble nitrogen, than mycelia grown on a mixture of glucose and succinic acid. Thus, although primary shunt metabolism is favored by rapid growth on a rich, balanced sugar medium, it can also take place during extremely restricted growth in a medium containing succinic acid as the sole carbon source.