Understanding the behaviour of colloids in natural environments is becoming increasingly important in light of the growing numbers of reports on the colloid-facilitated transport of contaminants. The role payed by inorganic colloids in natural waters depends on their size as well as on their composition. My research has been focused on the combination of both aspects with a strength on a understudied aspect: the qualitative determination of the different types of colloids present in a system. The main topics studied so far are detailed below (you can find dois in my list of references). I have not been working in the field for some years now.
- method development:
V. Chanudet and M. Filella (2006) A non-perturbing scheme for the mineralogical characterization and quantification of inorganic colloids in natural waters. ENVIRON. SCI. TECHNOL., 10, 485-490.
C. Walther, S. Büchner, M. Filella and V. Chanudet (2006) Probing particle size distributions in natural surface waters from 15 nm to 2 µm by a combination of LIBD and Single Particle Counting. J. COLLOID INTERFACE SCIENCE, 301, 532–537.
T. Schäfer, V. Chanudet, F. Claret and M. Filella (2007) Spectromicroscopy mapping of colloidal/particulate organic matter in Lake Brienz, Switzerland. ENVIRON. SCI. TECHNOL., 41, 7864-7869.
- study of colloid composition, behaviour and fate in different natural water systems:
V. Chanudet and M. Filella (2006) Particle size and mineralogical composition of inorganic colloids in glacier-melting water and overlying ice in an Alpine glacier, the Oberaargletscher, Switzerland. JOURNAL OF GLACIOLOGY, 52, 473-475.
V. Chanudet and M. Filella (2007) The fate of inorganic colloidal particles in Lake Brienz. AQUATIC SCIENCES, 69, 199-211.
Older studies were mainly focused on the combination of experiments and modelling:
M. Filella, J. Buffle and G.G. Leppard (1993) Characterization of submicrometre colloids in freshwaters: evidence for their bridging by organic structures. WATER SCI. TECHNOL., 27, 91-102.
M. Filella and J. Buffle (1993) Factors controlling the stability of submicron colloids in natural waters. COLLOIDS SURF., 73, 255-273.
M.E. Newman, M. Filella, Y. Chen, J.-C. Nègre, D. Perret and J. Buffle (1994) Submicron particles in the Rhine River. Part II. Comparison of field observations and model predictions. WATER RES., 28, 108-118.
Pizarro, N. Belzile, M. Filella, G.G. Leppard, J.-C. Nègre, D. Perret and J. Buffle (1995) Coagulation/sedimentation of submicron iron particles in a eutrophic lake. WATER RES, 29, 617-632.
A. Hofmann and M. Filella (1999) Transport of suspended matter in the hypolimnion of Lake Lugano: a comparison of field observations and model predictions. J. GREAT LAKES RES., 25, 865-882.
A. Hofmann, M. Filella, E. Lallier-Vergès and J. Dominik (2001) The role of aggregation in the rapid sedimentation of diatoms in lake water: a case study in the north basin of Lake Lugano (Switzerland, Italy). ARCHIV HYDROBIOL. SUPPL., 139, 85-116.
Colloids play a key role in element fate in natural systems:
R.M. Town and M. Filella (2002) Size fractionation of trace metals in freshwaters: implications for understanding their speciation and fate. RE/VIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND BIO/TECHNOLOGY, 1, 277-297.
M. Filella, C. Deville, V. Chanudet and D. Vignati (2006) Variability of the colloidal molybdate reactive phosphorous concentrations in freshwaters. WATER RESEARCH, 40, 3185-3192.