The attachment of three genetically well-defined isogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (PAO1, PAO1 psl pel and PDO300) with different EPS secretion capability and EPS composition were studied over a range of solution chemistry in glass beads packed columns, to examine the removal of P. aeruginosa from the bulk fluid due to their attachment to the solid surfaces. The deviation of experimental data from classic colloid filtration theory (CFT) was investigated by comparing the distribution of bacterial as a function of column depth with CFT model. The results show that the presence of EPS on nonmucoid strain PAO1 and mucoid strain PDO300 significantly increased bacterial adhesion over the EPS deficient PAO1 psl pel, despite their similar surface charges as indicated by the zeta potential measurement. EPS deficient strain exhibited the log-linear deposition pattern under high ionic strength conditions, consistent with trends predicted from the filtration theory. In contrast, non-monotonic deviations in the form of down-gradient movement of the maximum retained cell concentration from the column inlet were observed when the EPS secretion strains were examined. The retained polysaccharides (carbohydrates and uronic acids) and protein profiles inversed bacterial deposition profiles, indicating that bacterial re-entrainment and re-entrapment may have contributed to the non-monotonic retained profiles. The detachment of bacteria leaves behind various constituents of EPS as their “footprints,” which can interfere with cell deposition.