Researchers trying to improve sand filters for use in stormwater treatment brought some of their sand into the lab. Scientists then ran water through the sand in a cylindrical laboratory column (poros

Researchers trying to improve sand filters for use in stormwater treatment brought some of their sand into the lab. Scientists then ran water through the sand in a cylindrical laboratory column (porosity 0.34, soil bulk density 2.0 g/cm3 , diameter d = 5.1 cm, length L = 22.0 cm). For 16 minutes starting at t = 0, a researcher introduced stormwater into the column, resulting in the introduction of total suspended solids (TSS) at a mass flux of 2.4 g/min. The flow rate of water through the column did not change throughout the experiment. The plot shows the measured concentration of TSS exiting the column. 

a) Based on the timing of the TSS breakthrough curve, estimate the flow rate through the column. Do not assume that TSS behaved conservatively. 

b) Did TSS behave conservatively in the column? If not, determine whether a zero-order source or sink was present, and estimate its magnitude.