Filamentous Fungi-Induced Multiphase Flow

Filamentous fungi are widespread in porous media flow systems, playing critical roles in global carbon and nutrient cycling, agricultural soil management, contaminant transport and remediation, biofouling of engineered materials, and human health. While these processes typically involve multiple fluid phases, the mechanisms by which fungi regulate fluid flow are not well understood, limiting our ability to predict or harness fungi-driven processes. In this study, we conducted microfluidic experiments to investigate the role of fungi in oil extraction and remediation from highly heterogeneous subsurface porous media. We fabricated PDMS dual-porosity microfluidic chips and saturated the chip with model oil contaminant to simulate the contaminated fractured aquifer. A hydrophilic, hydrocarbon-degrading strain of Penicillium sp. MLAC-nap12, isolated from a coal-tar-contaminated site, was injected into the microchip and the fungi-oil interaction was monitored through a microscope. We observed that the fungal clogging diverted flow paths and growth of hydrophilic hyphae redistributed fluid phases. This presentation will delve into the mechanisms driving these fungal-induced multiphase flow and their broader implications for porous media processes.