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arXiv · 2510.27262

Spatial organization of biomass controls intrinsic permeability of porous systems

Wenqiao Jiao·David Scheidweiler·Nolwenn Delouche·Alberto Guadagnini·Pietro de Anna
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Abstract

Biofilms in porous media critically influence hydraulic properties in environmental and engineered systems. However, a mechanistic understanding of how microbial life controls permeability remains elusive. By combining microfluidics, controlled pressure gradient and time-lapse microscopy, we quantify how motile and non-motile bacteria colonize a porous landscape and alter its resistance to flow. We find that while both strains achieve nearly identical total biomass, they cause drastically different permeability reductions - 78% for motile cells versus 94% for non-motile cells. This divergence stems from motility, which limits biomass spatial accumulation, whereas non-motile cells clog the entire system. We develop a mechanistic model that accurately predicts permeability dynamics from the pore-scale biomass distribution. We conclude that the spatial organization of biomass, not its total amount, is the primary factor controlling permeability.

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Wenqiao Jiao, David Scheidweiler, Nolwenn Delouche, Alberto Guadagnini, Pietro de Anna. 2025-10-31. Spatial organization of biomass controls intrinsic permeability of porous systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.27262

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