Variation in hydraulic conductivity with decreasing pH in a biologically-clogged porous medium

Abstract

Microbial biomass can clog porous media and ultimately affect both structural and mineral trapping of CO2 in geological carbon storage reservoirs. Whether biomass can remain intact following a sudden decrease in groundwater pH, a geochemical change associated with CO2 injection, is unclear. We examined this question using twelve biologically-active and three control column-reactor experiments. Cell abundance and distribution was monitored using confocal microscopy, plating, and direct counting. Hydraulic conductivity (K) was monitored using pressure sensors. Growth occurred for four days at neutral pH. During that time, K within the clogged portion of the reactors decreased from 0.013 to 0.0006cm s−1 on average, a 1.47log reduction. Next, the pH of the inflowing aqueous medium was lowered to pH 4 in six experiments and pH 5.7 in six experiments. As a result, K increased in five of the pH 4 experiments and two of the pH 5.7 experiments. Despite this increase, however, the columns remained largely clogged. Compared to pre-inoculation K values, log reductions averaged 1.13 and 1.44 in pH 4 and pH 5.7 experiments, respectively. Our findings show that biomass can largely remain intact following acidification and continue to reduce K, even when considerable cell stress and death occurs.