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Updated: May 20, 2026

Methods for Characterizing the Co-development of Biofilm and Habitat Heterogeneity
Published on: March 11, 2015
Mass transfer in a membrane aerated biofilm
C Picard1, S Logette, J C Schrotter
1INPT, UPS, Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France. charlotte.picard@gmail.com
Abstract:
We present experimental results of mass transfer of a non reactive tracer gas (neon) measured in aerobic heterotrophic biofilm developed from activated sludge. Biofilms are grown in various hydrodynamic conditions and the effective diffusivity is used to quantify the mass transfer through the biofilm. Beyond some cross-flow conditions, the effective diffusivity through the biofilm seems larger than in the bulk. This can be explained by a dispersion generated by convection inside the biofilm, as supported by an analytical flow model and in accordance to the numerical simulation proposed by Aspa et al. (2011).
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