Freeze-thaw treatment of bacteria significantly affects bacterial transport behaviors in both saturated and unsaturated porous media: Deep investigation the roles of flagella and extracellular polymeric substances

Abstract

The effects of freeze-thaw (FT) treatment and mechanisms on bacteria transport/retention in porous media with different moisture contents remain unclear. The transport/retention behaviors of bacteria with different FT treatment cycles (0, 1, and 3) in sand columns with different moisture contents (100 %, 90 %, 60 %, and 30 %) in NaCl solutions (10 and 100 mM) thus were investigated. Regardless of moisture content and solution chemistry, FT treatment increased bacteria deposition in sand columns, consistent with the results of QCM-D and visible parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC) systems. Via deep investigation of the contribution of flagella through using genetic-modified bacteria strain without flagella and that of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) through analyzing its overall quantity, composition as well as the secondary structure of its two major components (proteins and polysaccharides), the mechanisms of FT treatment controlling bacterial transport/deposition were revealed. Although FT treatment induced flagella loss, it was not the major contributor to driving to the enhanced FT-treated cell deposition. Instead, FT treatment stimulated EPS secretion and increased its hydrophobicity (via increasing hydrophobicity of both proteins and polysaccharides), mainly contributing to the enhanced bacterial deposition. Even with copresent humic acid, FT treatment still enhanced bacterial deposition in sand columns with different moisture contents.

Keywords: Bacteria transport; Extracellular polymeric substance; Flagella; Freeze-thaw cycle; Humic acid.