MoChi

MoChi aims to develop geoelectrical monitoring as an affordable and non-invasive technique to monitor biogeochemical processes and multiphase flow associated with the remediation of anthropogenic contaminants in the critical zone. To this end, MoChi will elucidate the accurate mechanistic description of geoelectrical signals by developing a deep understanding of the processes at the pore scale. MoChi articulates in three tasks. (1) We will develop cutting-edge microfluidic chips that enable a 2D geoelectrical mapping with a dense network of unpolarizable electrodes, adaptable to different monitoring methods. (2) We will use these chips to conduct experiments on a 2D porous matrix that includes reactive minerals and biological activity to stimulate bioremediation of trapped contaminants. (3) We will develop a sophisticated modeling workflow that will combine the resolution of transport, speciation, biological activity, and petrophysics to predict the geoelectrical response. The numerical modeling scenarios will be adjusted with the experimental conditions for comparison. MoChi will provide significant insights into the monitoring of bioremediation, thereby supporting the ecological transition through the development of innovative methodologies and sensors.