Colloid filtration in surface dense vegetation: experimental results and theoretical predictions

Understanding colloid and colloid-facilitated contaminant transport in overland flow through dense vegetation is important to protect water quality in the environment, especially for water bodies receiving agricultural and urban runoff. In previous studies, a single-stem efficiency theory for rigid and clean stem systems was developed to predict colloid filtration by plant stems of vegetation in laminar overland flow. Hence, in order to improve the accuracy of the single-stem efficiency theory to real dense vegetation system, we incorporated the effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on the filtration of colloids by stems. Laboratory dense vegetation flow chamber experiments and model simulations were used to determine the kinetic deposition (filtration) rate of colloids under various conditions. The results show that, in addition to flow hydrodynamics and solution chemistry, steric repulsion afforded by NOM layer on the plants stem surface also plays a significant role in controlling colloid deposition on vegetation in overland flow. For the first time, a refined single-stem efficiency theory with considerations of the NOM effect is developed that describes the experimental data with good accuracy. This theory can be used to not only help construct and refine mathematical models of colloid transport in real vegetation systems in overland flow, but also inform the development of theories of colloid deposition on NOM-coated surfaces in natural, engineered, and biomedical systems.