Water quality and pollution contamination depend strongly on geochemical processes involving reactions with mineral surfaces and substrates. Such processes include weathering reactions that contribute dissolved chemicals, sorption that removes aqueous species, and electron transfer mechanisms that establish redox conditions. Although extensive research has been conducted on the aqueous chemistry, minimal information exists on the corresponding solid phases and their effects on chemical transport. Objectives of this project are to: investigate the composition and structure of common mineral surfaces and determine the extent of heterogeneity between specific surfaces and the bulk mineral phase; determine the mechanism and rates of chemical [...]
Summary
Water quality and pollution contamination depend strongly on geochemical processes involving reactions with mineral surfaces and substrates. Such processes include weathering reactions that contribute dissolved chemicals, sorption that removes aqueous species, and electron transfer mechanisms that establish redox conditions. Although extensive research has been conducted on the aqueous chemistry, minimal information exists on the corresponding solid phases and their effects on chemical transport. Objectives of this project are to: investigate the composition and structure of common mineral surfaces and determine the extent of heterogeneity between specific surfaces and the bulk mineral phase; determine the mechanism and rates of chemical and electron transfer between mineral substrates and surface- and ground-water systems; determine the nature and extent of temporal changes in surface compositions during natural weathering and contaminant introduction and assess the effects on sorption and retardation; assess environmental hazards due to the weathering of toxic materials contained in natural minerals and rocks and plan mitigation and cleanup under geologic constraints; and assess the effects of hydrologic parameters on rates of chemical weathering in soil profiles and watersheds and predict impacts of climate change. This project also conducts studies related to the biogeochemistry of selenium; for additional information, see the
Linking Selenium Sources to Ecosystems web site.
