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Aquifer groundwater quality is largely controlled by sediment composition and physical heterogeneity, which commonly sustains a unique redox gradient pattern. Attenuation of heavy metals within these heterogeneous aquifers is reliant on multiple factors, including redox conditions and redox-active species that can further influence biogeochemical cycling. Here, we simulated an alluvial aquifer system using columns filled with natural coarse-grained sediments and two domains of fine-grained sediment lenses. Our goal was to examine heavy metal (Ni and Zn) attenuation within a complex aquifer network and further explore nitrate-rich groundwater conditions. The fine-grained sediment lenses sustained reducing conditions and served as a sink for Ni sequestration─in the form of Ni-silicates, Ni-organic matter, and a dominant Ni-sulfide phase. The silicate clay and sulfide pools were also important retention mechanisms for Zn; however, Ni was associated more extensively with organic matter compared to Zn, which formed layered double hydroxides. Nitrate-rich conditions promoted denitrification within the lenses that was coupled to the oxidation of Fe(II) and the concomitant precipitation of an Fe(III) phase with higher structural distortion. A decreased metal sulfide pool also resulted, where nitrate-rich conditions generated an average 20% decrease in solid-phase Ni, Zn, and Fe. Ultimately, nitrate plays a significant role in the aquifer's biogeochemical cycling and the capacity to retain heavy metals.

Lignin is a major component of plant-derived soil organic matter (SOM) in soils and sediments. Fe-bearing clay minerals are widely distributed in these environments and often co-exist with lignin. While previous studies have reported the electron shuttling and donating roles of certain redox-active SOM in the dissimilatory reduction of structural Fe(III) in Fe-bearing clay minerals, the role of lignin in this process remains unknown. Here we studied this role by incubating an Fe-rich smectite (nontronite NAu-2) with two types of lignin (soluble and insoluble) in the absence and presence of an Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 under anaerobic condition. Lactate was added in some experiments as an extra electron donor. The results demonstrated that both soluble and insoluble lignins abiotically reduced structural Fe(III) in NAu-2. The reduction extent was proportional to lignin concentration. After abiotic reaction, lignin served as either electron shuttle or electron donor in the presence of CN32: (1) When lactate was present, lignin served as an electron shuttle to enhance the rate of Fe(III) reduction; (2) When lactate was absent, lignin served as an electron donor for Fe(III) reduction. Although the ultimate biotic Fe(III) reduction extents were similar in the presence of either soluble or insoluble lignin, the reduction rates with soluble lignin were higher than those with insoluble lignin, likely owing to their different electron transfer mechanisms. After interaction with NAu-2 and/or CN32, soluble lignin structure largely remained intact, but with some decreases of humic/fulvic acid-like and protein-like compounds, aromatic functional groups (e.g., C H, C O, COOH), and aliphatic/aromatic compounds. An increase of semiquinone-like organic radicals was observed after lignin interaction with NAu-2. These chemical changes of lignin were likely coupled with the reduction of structural Fe(III) in nontronite. Upon reduction, the nontronite did not display much dissolution and mineral transformation. The findings of this study provide insights into the role of lignin in promoting mineral-microbe interactions and have significant implications for coupled Fe and C biogeochemical cycles in soils and sediments.

Nano-structural transformation of iron minerals in the natural environment is altered and often retarded in the presence of silica (e.g., impeded transformation of ferrihydrite) resulting in a modulated interaction with constituents or contaminants present in groundwater. This phenomenon can significantly affect molecular mechanisms of reduction, precipitation, and sequestration of pertechnetate (TcO4−), the most prevalent chemical form of radioactive contaminant technetium-99 in the environment, by elemental iron Fe0 often referred to as zero valent iron (ZVI). Understanding the role of silica in moderating the reactivity of Fe0 toward reduction of TcO4− to Tc4+ and its interaction with in situ formed iron minerals (ferrihydrite, magnetite) is crucial for successful design of a practical separation system and can be related to similar environmental systems. This study was designed to evaluate silica-modified ZVI systems with two commercially available iron materials. The results revealed that the efficiency of TcO4− reduction by Fe0 increased in the presence of silica due to inhibited transformation of iron oxyhydroxide into non-stoichiometric magnetite. Moreover, microscopic evaluation of the newly formed iron mineral phases, both in the presence and absence of silica, revealed unique morphologies related to geological phenomena, such as orbicular rocks and Liesegang rings, suggesting that iron dissolution/re-precipitation is a rhythmical reaction–diffusion process, which occurs in both micro-scaled and macro-geological environments resulting in layered structures of iron oxidation products.

The sequestration of metal ions into the crystal structure of minerals is common in nature. To date, the incorporation of technetium(IV) into iron minerals has been studied predominantly for systems under carefully controlled anaerobic conditions. Mechanisms of the transformation of iron phases leading to incorporation of technetium(IV) under aerobic conditions remain poorly understood. Here we investigate granular metallic iron for reductive sequestration of technetium(VII) at elevated concentrations under ambient conditions. We report the retarded transformation of ferrihydrite to magnetite in the presence of technetium. We observe that quantitative reduction of pertechnetate with a fraction of technetium(IV) structurally incorporated into non-stoichiometric magnetite benefits from concomitant zero valent iron oxidative transformation. An in-depth profile of iron oxide reveals clusters of the incorporated technetium(IV), which account for 32% of the total retained technetium estimated via X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. This corresponds to 1.86 wt.% technetium in magnetite, providing the experimental evidence to theoretical postulations on thermodynamically stable technetium(IV) being incorporated into magnetite under spontaneous aerobic redox conditions. For the geological disposal of radionuclides through immobilization within minerals, naturally aerobic conditions need to be considered. Here the authors report a quantitative reduction of Tc7+ and partial structural incorporation of Tc4+ into in situ formed nonstochiometric magnetite under ambient conditions.

Iron redox cycling in clay minerals plays important roles in nutrient cycling and contamination migration in soils and sediments. Studies have shown interfacial electron transfer (IET) between sorbed Fe(II) and structural Fe(III) in clays, but the impact of IET on biological redox reactions has not been investigated. Here we studied the impact of such IET process on an example redox reaction, i.e. coupled Fe(II) oxidation and nitrate reduction, in the presence of the nitrate-reducing bacterium Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002. Aqueous Fe2+ was sorbed to basal surface (pH 6) and edge sites (pH 8) of nontronite (NAu-2) and montmorillonite (SWy-2). The amount of Fe(II) sorption was lower at pH 6 than at pH 8. At pH 6, the extent of IET from basal Fe(II) to structural Fe(III) was higher in SWy-2 than in NAu-2, resulting in a higher proportion of structural Fe(II) in SWy-2. Because structural Fe(II) is more reactive than basal Fe(II), such IET resulted in a higher reactivity of SWy-2-associated Fe(II) than that of NAu-2-associated Fe(II) towards biologically-mediated nitrate reduction. At pH 8, extensive IET from highly reactive edge-Fe(II) to structural Fe(III) in NAu-2 resulted in formation of structural Fe(II) and Fe oxides, which lowered the reactivity of NAu-2-associated Fe(II). In contrast, due to limited IET in SWy-2 at pH 8, a large fraction of sorbed Fe(II) remained and was associated with SWy-2 and/or goethite/mixed Fe(II)-Fe(III) nanoparticles, which were highly reactive. As a result, SWy-2-associated Fe(II) is more reactive than NAu-2-associated Fe(II) at pH 8. The results of this study have important implications for understanding clay redox reactions in such environments where clay minerals and aqueous Fe2+ are in contact and IET occurs.

Plant roots are critical weathering agents in deep soils, yet the impact of resulting mineral transformations on the vast deep soil carbon (C) reservoir are largely unknown. Root-driven weathering of primary minerals may cause the formation of reactive secondary minerals, which protect mineral-organic associations (MOAs) for centuries or millennia. Conversely, root-driven weathering may also transform secondary minerals, potentially enhancing the bioavailability of C previously protected in MOAs. Here we examined the impact of root-driven weathering on MOAs and their capacity to store C over pedogenic time scales. To accomplish this, we examined deep horizons (100–160 cm) that experienced root-driven weathering in four soils of increasing ages (65–226 kyr) of the Santa Cruz marine terrace chronosequence. Specifically, we compared discrete rhizosphere zones subject to root-driven weathering, with adjacent zones that experienced no root growth. Using a combination of radiocarbon, mass spectrometry, 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and X-ray spectromicroscopy approaches, we characterized transformations of MOAs in relation to changes in C content, Δ14C values, and chemistry across the chronosequence. We found that the onset of root-driven weathering (65–90 kyr) increased the amount of C associated with poorly crystalline iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) phases, particularly highly disordered nano-particulate goethite (np-goethite). This increase coincided with greater C concentrations, lower Δ14C values, and greater abundance of what is likely microbially-derived C. Continued root-driven weathering (137–226 kyr) did not significantly change the amount of C associated with crystalline Fe and Al phases, but resulted in a decline in the amount of C associated with poorly crystalline Fe and Al phases. This decline coincided with a decrease in C concentrations, an increase in Δ14C values, and a shift toward plant-derived C. In contrast, soil not affected by root-driven weathering showed comparatively low amounts of C bound to poorly crystalline Fe and Al phases regardless of soil age and, correspondingly, lower C concentrations. Our results demonstrate that root-driven formation and disruption of MOAs are direct controls on both C accrual and loss in deep soil. This finding suggests that root impacts on soil C storage are dependent on soil weathering stage, a consideration that is critical for future predictions of the vulnerability of deep soil C to global change.

Biogeochemical redox processes that govern radionuclide mobility in sediments are highly sensitive to forcing by the water cycle. For example, episodic draining and intrusion of oxidants into reduced zones during dry seasons can create biogeochemical seasonal hotspots of enhanced and changed microbial activity, affect the redox status of minerals, initiate changes in sediment gas and water transport, and stimulate the release of organic carbon, iron, and sulfur by oxidation of solid reduced species to aqueous oxic species. In the Upper Colorado River Basin, water-saturation of organic-enriched sediments locally promotes reducing conditions, denoted 'Naturally Reduced Zones' (NRZs), that accumulate strongly U(IV)sol. Subsequently, fluctuating hydrological conditions introduce oxidants, which may reach internal portions of these sediments and reverse their role to become secondary sources of Uaq. Knowledge of the impact of hydrological variability on the alternating import and export of contaminants, including U, is required to predict contaminant mobility and short- and long-term impacts on water quality. In this study, we tracked U, Fe, and S oxidation states and speciation to characterize the variability in redox processes and related Usol solubility within shallow fine-grained NRZs at the legacy U ore processing site at Shiprock, NM. Previous studies have reported U speciation and behavior in permanently saturated fine-grained NRZ sediments. This is the first report of U behavior in fine-grained NRZ-like sediments that experience repeated redox cycling due to seasonal fluctuations in moisture content. Our results support previous observations that reducing conditions are needed to accumulate Usol in sediments, but they counter the expectation that Usol predominantly accumulates as U(IV)sol; our data reveal that Usol may accumulate as U(VI)sol in roughly equal proportion to U(IV)sol. Surprisingly high abundances of U(VI)sol confined in transiently saturated fine-grained NRZ-like sediments suggest that redox cycling is needed to promote its accumulation. We propose a new process model, where redox oscillations driven by annual water table fluctuations, accompanied by strong evapotranspiration in low-permeability sediments, promote conversion of U(IV)sol to relatively immobile U(VI)sol, which suggests that Usol is accumulating in a form that is resistant to redox perturbations. This observation contradicts the common idea that U(IV)sol accumulated in reducing conditions is systematically re-oxidized, solubilized and transported away in groundwater.

In aqueous systems, including groundwater, nano-colloids (1–100 nm diameter) and small colloids (

Lake 227 of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Ontario, Canada, has been fertilized with phosphorus (P) since 1969, which resulted in a rapid transition from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions. Sediment cores collected from the oxygenated epilimnion, and the mostly anoxic hypolimnion of this unique lake contain a historical record of the changes in sediment P speciation and burial rates across the trophic transition. To elucidate these changes, results of chemical extractions were combined with 210Pb sediment dating, and with 31P NMR, Mössbauer, and XANES spectroscopies. Prior to 1969, organic P (POrg) was the major sedimentary P sink in Lake 227. Eutrophication of the lake coincided with marked increases in the burial rate of total P (TP), as well as in the relative contribution of the NaHCO3-extractable P pool (humic-bound P, PHum). Together, PHum and POrg account for ≥70% of total P burial in the sediments deposited since artificial fertilization started. The PHum fraction likely comprises phosphate complexes with humic substances. The strong linear correlation between P and iron (Fe) extracted by NaHCO3 implies a close association of the two elements in the humic fraction. Mössbauer and XANES spectra further indicate that most Fe in the post-1969 sediments remained in the Fe (III) oxidation state, which is attributed to the stabilization of reducible Fe by organic matter, in part via the formation of phosphate-Fe (III)-humic complexes. Importantly, our results show that the eutrophication experimentation of Lake 227 caused the accumulation of a large reservoir of reactive sediment P, which may continue to fuel internal P loading to the water column once artificial fertilization is terminated.

Being the fourth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, iron (Fe) is a key player in myriad biogeochemical processes. Iron that resides in the structures of nano- to micron-scale clay mineral particles undergoes cycling between Fe(II) and Fe(III). This iron comprises a large redox-active pool in surface environments, controlling the fate and transport of nutrients and contaminants. The mechanism of electron transfer involving this iron species is poorly understood. We observe that Fe(III) in clay minerals does not oxidize arsenic As(III), unless a minor amount of Fe(II) is introduced into the predominantly-Fe(III) structure. These “activated” clay minerals are redox-active both in the presence and absence of oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, Fe(II) catalyzes the production of reactive oxygen species; however, the oxidation pathway in the absence of oxygen is unknown. Here we show that under oxygen-free conditions, the redox-active species in clay minerals is FeII–O–FeIII moieties at the edge sites. We used in situ and ex situ spectroscopic methods, including X-ray absorption, Mossbauer, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, as well as ab initio calculations. Our ab initio calculations show that desorption of water from an FeII–O–FeIII site in clay mineral requires less energy, compared to a fully-oxidized FeIII–O–FeIII site. We propose that this lower barrier for the desorption of water increases the apparent kinetics of redox reactions on clay mineral surfaces.

Stringent environmental policies in many countries have played an extensive role in reducing external phosphorus (P) loading to lakes from agriculture and urban sources. Nonetheless, such reductions in external P loading to many eutrophic lakes have not resulted in the expected concurrent restitution of water quality. Such a delayed recovery of many lakes is blamed both on internal loading of legacy P from lake sediments (i.e., benthic recycling) and the amplification of such internal P loading processes due to the reduction in external P concentrations. Hence, a detailed process understanding of P cycling at the sediment-water interface (SWI) is critical to understand nutrient loading, water quality and associated effects on lake water quality. Much of the work on sedimentary P cycling has traditionally focused on inorganic processes of soluble phosphate, particularly sorption to metals (Fe, Mn, Al) oxyhydroxides and clays. However, there is increasing recognition that organic forms of P, along with interactions between phosphate and humic substances, also play a decisive role in controlling P fluxes between sediments and the overlying water column.This study focused on gaining further understanding of the such processes through the collection of sediment cores from the oxygenated epilimnion and the mostly anoxic hypolimnion of Lake 227 of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Ontario, Canada. Since 1969, this unique experimental lake has been fertilized with phosphorus (P), which triggered a relatively rapid trophic transition from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions. The cores contain a chronological record of changes in sediment burial rates and sediment P speciation across this trophic transition.Interpretation of such changes was undertaken by coupling results of chemical extractions with 210Pb sediment dating, 31P NMR, XANES and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The major sedimentary P fraction prior to lake enrichment starting in 1969 was organic P (POrg). Fertilization of the lake in 1969 coincided with significant increases in the accumulation rate of sediment, total organic carbon (TOC) and total P (TP), in addition to a marked relative contribution of NaHCO3 extractable P. The combined proportion of PHum and POrg desposited since artificial fertilization in 1969 account for ≥70% of total P burial in the sediments. The anticipated composition of such PHum fractions was hypothesized to be ternary phosphate (PO4) complexes with humic substances. In support of this, the strong linear correlation between P and iron (Fe) extracted by NaHCO3 implies a close association of the two elements in the humic fraction. Furthermore, XANES and Mössbauer spectra indicate that most Fe in the post-1969 sediments is conserved in the +3 oxidation state, which may be ascribed to the stabilization of reducible Fe by organic matter, partially due to the formation of ternary PO4-Fe(III)-humic complexes. Our findings suggest the artificial eutrophication of Lake 227 resulted in the accelerated accumulation of a large sedimentary reservoir of reactive sediment P that may drive continued internal P loading to the water column following the cessation of artificial fertilization.

Fe/zeolites are important N2O abatement catalysts, efficient in direct N2O decomposition and (selective) catalytic N2O reduction. In this study, Fe/Beta and Fe/SSZ-13 materials were synthesized via solution ion-exchange and used to catalyze these two reactions. The nature of the Fe species was probed with UV–vis, Mossbauer and EPR spectroscopies and H2-TPR. These characterizations collectively indicate that primarily isolated and dinuclear Fe sites are present in Fe/SSZ-13, whereas Fe/Beta contains higher concentrations of oligomeric FexOy species. H2-TPR results suggest that Fe-O interactions are weaker in Fe/SSZ-13, as evidenced by the lower reduction temperatures by H2 and higher extents of autoreduction during high-temperature pretreatments in inert gas. Kinetic measurements show that Fe/SSZ-13 has higher normalized reaction rates in catalytic N2O decomposition, thus demonstrating a positive correlation between reaction rate and Fe-O binding, consistent with O2 desorption being rate-limiting for this reaction. However, Fe/Beta was found to display higher reaction rates in catalyzing N2O reduction by NH3. This latter result indicates that larger active ensembles (i.e., oligomers) are responsible for this reaction, consistent with the fact that both N2O and NH3 need to be activated in this case.

Fe-Si alloys ranging from 3 to 8 wt% Si were rapidly solidified using melt spinning. Wheel speeds of 30 m/s and 40 m/s were employed to vary cooling rates. Mossbauer spectroscopic studies indicated the Si content significantly influenced the number of Fe sites, relative abundance of various Fe species, and internal magnetic fields/structural environments. Wheel speed altered Fe speciation only in the 3 wt% sample. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that increasing the wheel speed refined both the ribbon thickness and grain size. Electron backscatter diffraction results suggest tailoring melt spinning process parameters and alloy chemistry may offer the ability to manipulate {001} texture development. Electrical resistivity measurements were observed to increase in response to elevated Si content. Increased hardness was correlated to elevated Si content and wheel speed.

The redox state and speciation of the metalloid arsenic (As) determine its toxicity and mobility. Knowledge of biogeochemical processes influencing the As redox state is therefore important to understand and predict its environmental behavior. Many previous studies examined As(III) oxidation by various Mn-oxides, but little is known concerning the environmental influences (e.g. co-existing ions) on the process. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of As(III) oxidation by a poorly crystalline hexagonal birnessite (δ-MnO2) in the presence of Fe(II) using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), Mossbauer spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The K-edge X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) analysis revealed that, at low Fe(II) concentration (100 μM), As(V) was the predominant As species on the solid phase, while at higher Fe(II) concentrations (200-1000 μM), both As(III) and As(V) were sorbed on the solid phase. As K-e...

Heterogeneous redox reactions on clay mineral surfaces control mobility and bioavailability of redox-sensitive nutrients and contaminants. Iron (Fe) residing in clay mineral structures can either catalyze or directly participate in redox reactions; however, chemical controls over its reactivity are not fully understood. In our previous work we demonstrated that converting a minor portion of Fe(III) to Fe(II) (partial reduction) in the octahedral sheet of natural Fe-rich clay mineral nontronite (NAu-1) activates its surface, making it redox-active. In this study we produced and characterized synthetic ferric nontronite (SIP), highlighting structural and chemical similarities and differences between this synthetic nontronite and its natural counterpart NAu-1, and probed whether mineral surface is redox-active by reacting it with arsenic As(III) under oxic and anoxic conditions. We demonstrate that synthetic nontronite SIP undergoes the same activation as natural nontronite NAu-1 following the partial reduction treatment. Similar to NAu-1, SIP oxidized As(III) to As(V) under both oxic (catalytic pathway) and anoxic (direct oxidation) conditions. The similar reactivity trends observed for synthetic nontronite and its natural counterpart make SIP an appropriate analog for laboratory studies. The development of chemically pure analogs for ubiquitous soil minerals will allow for systematic research of the fundamental properties of these minerals.

Two sizes of iron/iron-oxide (Fe/Fe-oxide) nanoclusters (NCs) of 10 and 35 nm diameters were prepared using a cluster deposition technique. Both these NCs displayed X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks due to body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe0 and magnetite-like phase. 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements confirmed (a) the core–shell nature of the NCs, (b) the Fe-oxide shell to be nanocrystalline and partially oxidized beyond magnetite, and (c) the Fe-oxide spins are significantly canted. In addition to the BCC Fe and magnetite-like phases, a phase similar to tetragonal σ-Fe-Cr (8% Cr) was clearly evident in the larger NC, based on XRD. The origin of the tetragonal-like phase in the larger NC could be due to significant distortion of the Fe0 core lattice planes; subtle peaks due to this phase were also apparent in the smaller NC. Unambiguous evidence for the presence of such a phase was not clear from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, or transmissi...

Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts (Si/Al = 12, Fe loadings of 0.37% and 1.20%) were prepared via solution ion-exchange, and they were hydrothermally aged at 600, 700, and 800 °C. The fresh and aged catalysts were characterized with surface area/pore volume analysis, Mossbauer, solid-state MAS NMR, NO titration FTIR spectroscopies, and TEM and APT imaging. Hydrothermal aging causes dealumination of the catalysts and transformation of various Fe sites. The latter include conversion of free Fe2+ ions to dimeric Fe(III) species, the agglomeration of isolated Fe-ions to Fe-oxide clusters, and incorporation of Al into the Fe-oxide species. These changes result in complex influences on standard SCR and NO/NH3 oxidation reactions. In brief, mild aging causes catalyst performance enhancement for SCR, whereas harsh aging at 800 °C deteriorates SCR performance. In comparison to Fe/zeolites more prone to hydrothermal degradation, this study demonstrates that via the utilization of highly hydrothermally stable Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts, ...

Systematic flow-through column experiments were conducted using sediments and ground water collected from different subsurface localities at the U.S. Department of Energy's Integrated Field Research Challenge site in Rifle, Colorado. The principal purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the interactive effects of groundwater geochemistry, sediment mineralogy, and indigenous bacterial community structures on the efficacy of uranium removal from the groundwater with/without acetate amendment. Overall, we find that the subtle variations in the sediments' mineralogy, redox conditions, as well as contents of metal(loid) co-contaminants showed a pronounced effect on the associated bacterial population and composition, which mainly determines the system's performance with respect to uranium removal. Positive relationship was identified between the abundance of dissimilatory sulfate-reduction genes (i.e., drsA), markers of sulfate-reducing bacteria, and the sediments' propensity to sequester aqueous uranium. In contrast, no obvious connections were observed between the abundance of common iron-reducing bacteria, e.g., Geobacter spp., and the sediments' ability to sequester uranium. In the sediments with low bacterial biomass and the absence of sulfate-reducing conditions, abiotic adsorption onto mineral surfaces such as phyllosilicates likely played a relatively major role in the attenuation of aqueous uranium; however, in these scenarios, acetate amendment induced detectable rebounds in the effluent uranium concentrations. The results of this study suggest that immobilization of uranium can be achieved under predominantly sulfate-reducing conditions, and provide insight into the integrated roles of various biogeochemical components in long-term uranium sequestration.

Increasing temperatures in alpine regions accompanied by glacial retreat is occurring rapidly due to climate change. This may affect riparian soils by increasing weathering rates, resulting in greater organic carbon (OC) release to rivers via movement of iron‐containing colloids and nanominerals. Increased concentrations of iron‐ or silcate‐nanominerals would result in higher surface area for OC adsorption. To test the influence of temperature on OC leaching, we examined mineral weathering and nanocolloid facilitated release of OC through a series of controlled laboratory batch and column experiments using sediment from the banks of the Nisqually River, Mount Rainier in Washington State (USA). Additional experiments were conducted using the same sediments, but with an illite amendment added to test the influence of additional surface area and nanominerals that many sediments along the Nisqually River contain. These higher‐ and lower‐surface‐area sediments (i.e., sediments with and without the illite amendment) were incubated for 90 d at 4 or 20 °C, followed by batch and column OC leaching tests. Results show that OC leaching rates for 20 °C were two to three times greater than for 4 °C. Further, our results suggest that nanocolloids are responsible for moving this increased OC load from these sediments. When hydrologically connected, OC is released from bank sediments to rivers faster than presently anticipated in fluvial environments experiencing climate change‐induced glacial retreat. Further, a one‐dimensional, finite‐element computational model developed for this study estimates that a 1 °C increase in temperature over a 90‐d summer runoff period increases the OC release rate from sediments by 79%.

Wetlands mitigate the migration of groundwater contaminants through a series of biogeochemical gradients that enhance multiple contaminant-binding processes. The hypothesis of this study was that wetland plant roots contribute organic carbon and release O(2) within the rhizosphere (plant-impact soil zone) that promote the formation of Fe(III)-(oxyhydr)oxides. In turn, these Fe(III)-(oxyhydr)oxides stabilize organic matter that together contribute to contaminant immobilization. Mineralogy and U binding environments of the rhizosphere were evaluated in samples collected from contaminated and non-contaminated areas of a wetland on the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Based on Mössbauer spectroscopy, rhizosphere soil was greatly enriched with nanogoethite, ferrihydrite-like nanoparticulates, and hematite, with negligible Fe(II) present. X-ray computed tomography and various microscopy techniques showed that root plaques were tens-of-microns thick and consisted of highly oriented Fe-nanoparticles, suggesting that the roots were involved in creating the biogeochemical conditions conducive to the nanoparticle formation. XAS showed that a majority of the U in the bulk wetland soil was in the + 6 oxidation state and was not well correlated spatially to Fe concentrations. SEM/EDS confirm that U was enriched on root plaques, where it was always found in association with P. Together these findings support our hypothesis and suggest that plants can alter mineralogical conditions that may be conducive to contaminant immobilization in wetlands.

Fe(II)-Al(III)-LDH (layered double hydroxide) phases have been shown to form from reactions of aqueous Fe(II) with Fe-free Al-bearing minerals (phyllosilicate/clays and Al-oxides). To our knowledge, however, the effect of small amounts of structural Fe(III) in natural clays on such reactions were not studied. In this study to understand the role of structural Fe(III) in clay, laboratory batch studies with pyrophyllite (10 g/L), an Al-bearing phyllosilicate, containing small amounts of structural Fe(III) and 0.8 mM and 3 mM Fe(II) (both natural and enriched in 57 Fe) were carried out at pH 7.5 under anaerobic conditions (4% H 2 –96% N 2 atmosphere). Samples were taken up to 4 weeks for analysis by Fe-X-ray absorption spectroscopy and 57 Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy. In addition to the precipitation of Fe(II)-Al(III)-LDH phases as observed in earlier studies with pure minerals (no Fe(III) impurities in the minerals), the analyses indicated the formation of small amounts of Fe(III) containing solids, most probably a hybrid Fe(II)-Al(III)/Fe(III)-LDH phase. The mechanism of Fe(II) oxidation was not apparent but most likely was due to either interfacial electron transfer from the spiked Fe(II) to the structural Fe(III) and/or surface-sorption-induced electron-transfer from the sorbed Fe(II) to the clay lattice. This research provides evidence for the formation of both Fe(II)-Al(III)-LDH and Fe(II)-Fe(III)/Al(III)-LDH-like phases during reactions of Fe(II) in systems that mimic the natural environments. Better understanding Fe phase formation in complex laboratory studies will improve models of natural redox systems.

Use of crystalline garnet as a waste form phase appears to be advantageous for accommodating actinides from nuclear waste. Previous studies show that large amounts of uranium (U) and its analogues such as cerium (Ce) and thorium (Th) can be incorporated into the garnet structure. In this study, we synthesized U loaded garnet phases, Ca3UxZr2−xFe3O12 (x = 0.5–0.7), along with the endmember phase, Ca3(Zr2)SiFe3+2O12, for comparison. The oxidation states of U were determined by X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies, revealing the presence of mixed pentavalent and hexavalent uranium in the phases with x = 0.6 and 0.7. The oxidation states and coordination environments of Fe were measured using transmission 57Fe-Mossbauer spectroscopy, which shows that all iron is tetrahedrally coordinated Fe3+. U substitution had a significant effect on local environments, the extent of U substitution within this range had a minimal effect on the structure, and unlike in the x = 0 sample, Fe exists in two different environments in the substituted garnets. The enthalpies of formation of garnet phases from constituent oxides and elements were first time determined by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. The results indicate that these substituted garnets are thermodynamically stable under reducing conditions. Our structural and thermodynamic analysis further provides explanation for the formation of natural uranium garnet, elbrusite-(Zr), and supports the potential use of Ca3UxZr2−xFe3O12 as viable waste form phases for U and other actinides.

Dissimilatory microbial reduction of solid-phase Fe(III)-oxides and Fe(III)-bearing phyllosilicates (Fe(III)-phyllosilicates) is an important process in anoxic soils, sediments and subsurface materials. Although various studies have documented the relative extent of microbial reduction of single-phase Fe(III)-oxides and Fe(III)-phyllosilicates, detailed information is not available on interaction between these two processes in situations where both phases are available for microbial reduction. The goal of this research was to use the model dissimilatory iron-reducing bacterium (DIRB) Geobacter sulfurreducens to study Fe(III)-oxide vs. Fe(III)-phyllosilicate reduction in a range of subsurface materials and Fe(III)-oxide stripped versions of the materials. Low-temperature (12 K) Mossbauer spectroscopy was used to infer changes in the relative abundances of Fe(III)-oxide, Fe(III)-phyllosilicate, and phyllosilicate-associated Fe(II) (Fe(II) phyllosilicate). A Fe partitioning model was employed to anal...

Fe(III)-oxides and Fe(III)-bearing phyllosilicates are the two major iron sources utilized as electron acceptors by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria (DIRB) in anoxic soils and sediments. Although there have been many studies on microbial Fe(III)-oxide and Fe(III)-phyllosilicate reduction with both natural and specimen materials, no controlled experimental information is available on the interaction between these two phases when both are available for microbial reduction. In this study, the model DIRB Geobacter sulfurreducens was used to examine the pathways of Fe(III) reduction in Fe(III)-oxide stripped subsurface sediment that was coated with different amounts of synthetic high surface area (HSA) goethite. Cryogenic (12K) 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy was used to determine changes in the relative abundances of Fe(III)-oxide, Fe(III)-phyllosilicate, and phyllosilicate-associated Fe(II) [Fe(II)-phyllosilicate] in bioreduced samples. Analogous Mossbauer analyses were performed on samples from abio...

Three water adsorption-desorption mechanisms are common in inorganic materials: chemisorption, which can lead to the modification of the first coordination sphere; simple adsorption, which is reversible; and condensation, which is irreversible. Regardless of the sorption mechanism, all known materials exhibit an isotherm in which the quantity of water adsorbed increases with an increase in relative humidity. Here, we show that carbon-based rods can adsorb water at low humidity and spontaneously expel about half of the adsorbed water when the relative humidity exceeds a 50-80% threshold. The water expulsion is reversible, and is attributed to the interfacial forces between the confined rod surfaces. At wide rod spacings, a monolayer of water can form on the surface of the carbon-based rods, which subsequently leads to condensation in the confined space between adjacent rods. As the relative humidity increases, adjacent rods (confining surfaces) in the bundles are drawn closer together via capillary forces. At high relative humidity, and once the size of the confining surfaces has decreased to a critical length, a surface-induced evaporation phenomenon known as solvent cavitation occurs and water that had condensed inside the confined area is released as a vapour.

Using a traditional aqueous solution ion exchange method under a protecting atmosphere of N2, a series of Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts with various Fe loadings were synthesized. UV–vis, EPR, and Mossbauer spectroscopic methods, coupled with temperature-programmed reduction and desorption techniques, were used to probe the nature of the Fe sites. The major Fe species are extraframework Fe(III) species: [Fe(OH)2]+ (monomeric) and [HO–Fe–O–Fe–OH]2+ (dimeric). Larger oligomers with unknown nuclearity, poorly crystallized Fe oxide particles, together with isolated Fe2+ ions, are minor Fe-containing moieties. Reaction rate and Fe loading correlations, and temperature and Fe loading effects on SCR selectivities, suggest that isolated Fe3+ ions are the active sites for low-temperature standard SCR, and dimeric sites provide the majority of reactivity at higher temperatures. For NO oxidation, dimeric sites are the active centers. NH3 oxidation, on the other hand, is catalyzed by sites with higher nuclearity.

Several high-resolution Mössbauer spectra of yttrium iron garnet, Y3Fe5O12, have been fit as a function of temperature with a new model based on a detailed analysis of the spectral changes that result from a reduction from the cubic Ia3̅d space group to the trigonal R3̅ space group. These spectral fits indicate that the magnetic sextet arising from the 16a site in cubic symmetry is subdivided into three sextets arising from the 6f, the 3d, 3d, and the 1a, 1b, 2c sites in rhombohedral-axis trigonal symmetry. The 24d site in cubic Ia3̅d symmetry is subdivided into four sextets arising from four different 6f sites in R3̅ rhombohedral-axis trigonal symmetry, sites that differ only by the angles between the principal axis of the electric field gradient tensor and the magnetic hyperfine field assumed to be parallel with the magnetic easy axis. This analysis, when applied to the potential nuclear waste storage compounds Y(3-x)Ca(0.5x)Th(0.5x)Fe5O12 and Y(3-x)Ca(0.5x)Ce(0.5x)Fe5O12, indicates virtually no perturbation of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties upon substitution of small amounts of calcium(II) and thorium(IV) or cerium(IV) onto the yttrium(III) 24c site as compared with Y3Fe5O12. The observed broadening of the four different 6f sites derived from the 24d site results from the substitution of yttrium(III) with calcium(II) and thorium(IV) or cerium(IV) cations on the next-nearest neighbor 24c site. In contrast, the same analysis applied to Y(2.8)Ce(0.2)Fe5O12 indicates a local perturbation of the magnetic exchange pathways as a result of the presence of cerium(IV) in the 24c next-nearest neighbor site of the iron(III) 24d site.

Previous studies have shown that humic substances can serve as electron shuttle to catalyze bioreduction of structural Fe(III) in clay minerals, but it is unclear if clay-sorbed humic substances can serve the same function. It is unknown if the electron shuttling function is dependent on electron donor type and if humic substances undergo change as a result. In this study, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) were sorbed onto nontronite (NAu-2) surface. Structural Fe(III) in HA- and FA-coated NAu-2 samples was bioreduced by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 using H2 and lactate as electron donors. The results showed a contrasting effect of humic substances on bioreduction of structural Fe(III), depending on the electron donor type. With H2 as electron donor, humic substances had little effect on bioreduction of Fe(III) (the reduction extent: 26.2%, 27.4%, 29.3% for HA-coated, FA-coated, and uncoated NAu-2, respectively). In contrast, these substances significantly enhanced bioreduction of Fe(III) with lactate as electron donor (the reduction extent: 20.2%, 20.7%, 11.5% for HA-coated, FA-coated, and uncoated NAu-2, respectively). This contrasting behavior is likely caused by the difference in reaction free energy and electron transport process between H2 and lactate. When H2 served as electron donor, more energy was released than when lactate served as electron donor. In addition, because of different cellular locations of lactate dehydrogenase (inner membrane) and H2 hydrogenase (the periplasm), electrons generated by H2 hydrogenase may pass through the electron transport chain more rapidly than those generated from lactate dehydrogenase. Through their functions as electron shuttle and/or carbon source, clay-sorbed HA/FA underwent partial transformation to amino acids and other compounds. The availability of external carbon source played an important role in the amount and type of secondary product generation. These results have important implications for coupled iron and carbon biogeochemical cycles in clay- and humic substance-rich environments.

Soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics are central to soil biogeochemistry and fertility. The retention of SOM is governed initially by interactions with minerals, which mediate the sorption of chemically diverse organic matter (OM) molecules via distinct surface areas and chemical functional group availabilities. Unifying principles of mineral-OM interactions remain elusive because of the multi-layered nature of biochemical-mineral interactions that contribute to soil aggregate formation and the heterogeneous nature of soils among ecosystems. This study sought to understand how soil mineralogy as well as nitrogen (N) enrichment regulate OM composition in grassland soils. Using a multi-site grassland experiment, we demonstrate that the composition of mineral-associated OM depended on the clay content and specific mineral composition in soils across the sites. With increasing abundance of ferrihydrite (Fh) across six different grassland locations, OM in the hydrophobic zone became more enriched in lipid- and protein-like compounds, whereas the kinetic zone OM became more enriched in lignin-like molecules. These relationships suggest that the persistence of various classes of OM in soils may depend on soil iron mineralogy and provide experimental evidence to support conceptual models of zonal mineral-OM associations. Experimental N addition disrupted the accumulation of protein-like molecules in the hydrophobic zone and the positive correlation of lignin-like molecules in the kinetic zone with Fh content, compared to unfertilized soils. These data suggest that mineralogy and clay content together influence the chemical composition not only of mineral-associated OM, but also of soluble compounds within the soil matrix. If these relationships are prevalent over larger spatial and temporal scales, they provide a foundation for understanding SOM cycling and persistence under a variety of environmental contexts.

Although most studies of organic matter (OM) stabilization in soils have focused on adsorption to aluminosilicate and iron-oxide minerals due to their strong interactions with organic nucleophiles, stabilization within alkaline soils has been empirically correlated with exchangeable Ca. Yet the extent of competing processes within natural soils remains unclear because of inadequate characterization of soil mineralogy and OM distribution within the soil in relation to minerals, particularly in C poor alkaline soils. In this study, we employed bulk and surface-sensitive spectroscopic methods including X-ray diffraction, 57Fe-Mossbauer, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods to investigate the minerology and soil organic C and N distribution on individual fine particles within an alkaline soil. Microscopy and XPS analyses demonstrated preferential sorption of Ca-containing OM onto surfaces of Fe-oxides and calcite. This result was unexpected given that the bulk combined amounts of quartz and Fe-containing feldspars of the soil constitute ~90% of total minerals and the surface atomic composition was largely Fe and Al (>10% combined) compared to Ca (4.2%). Soil sorption experiments were conducted with two siderophores, pyoverdine and enterobactin, to evaluate the adsorption of organic molecules with functional groups that strongly and preferentially bind Fe. A greater fraction of pyoverdine was adsorbed compared to enterobactin, which is smaller, less polar, and has a lower aqueous solubility. Using NanoSIMS to map the distribution of isotopically-labeled siderophores, we observed correlations with Ca and Fe, along with strong isotopic dilution with native C, indicating associations with OM coatings rather than with bare mineral surfaces. We propose a mechanism of adsorption by which organics aggregate within alkaline soils via cation bridging, favoring the stabilization of larger molecules with a greater number of nucleophilic functional groups.

Biotic and abiotic pathways for the transformation of phosphorus (P) in the sediment of Taihu Lake, a eutrophic shallow freshwater lake in southeastern China, were studied using the oxygen isotope ratios of phosphate (δ18OP) along with sediment chemistry, X-ray diffraction, and 57Fe-Mossbauer spectroscopic methods. The results showed that δ18OP values of sediment P pools significantly deviated from equilibrium and thus allowed distinguishing potential P sources or pathways of transformation. Isotope values of authigenic P being lighter than equilibrium suggests the re-mineralization of organic matter and subsequent precipitation of apatite as the major pathway of formation of authigenic P. The δ18OP values of the Al-bound P pool (18.9-23.5‰) and ferric Fe-bound P (16.79-19.86‰) could indicate potential terrestrial sources, but the latter being closer to equilibrium values implies partial overprinting of potential source signature, most likely due to reductive dissolution and release of P and followed by partial biological cycling before re-sorption/re-precipitation with newly formed ferric Fe minerals. Oxic/anoxic oscillation and dissolution/re-precipitation reactions and expected isotope excursion are corroborated by sediment chemistry and Mossbauer spectroscopic results. These findings provide improved insights for better understanding the origin and biogeochemical cycling of P associated with eutrophication in shallow freshwater lakes.

Oscillating redox conditions are a common feature of humid tropical forest soils, driven by an ample supply and dynamics of reductants, high moisture, microbial oxygen consumption, and finely textured clays that limit diffusion. However, the net result of variable soil redox regimes on iron (Fe) mineral dynamics and associated carbon (C) forms and fluxes is poorly understood in tropical soils. Using a 44-day redox incubation experiment with humid tropical forest soils from Puerto Rico, we examined patterns in Fe and C transformations under four redox regimes: static anoxic, "flux 4-day" (4d oxic, 4d anoxic), "flux 8-day" (8d oxic, 4d anoxic) and static oxic. Prolonged anoxia promoted reductive dissolution of Fe-oxides, and led to an increase in soluble Fe(II) and amorphous Fe oxide pools. Preferential dissolution of the less-crystalline Fe pool was evident immediately following a shift in bulk redox status (oxic to anoxic), and coincided with increased dissolved organic C, presumably due to acidification or direct release of organic matter (OM) from dissolving Fe(III) mineral phases. The average nominal oxidation state of water-soluble C was lowest under persistent anoxic conditions, suggesting that more reduced organic compounds were metabolically unavailable for microbial consumption under reducing conditions. Anoxic soil compounds had high H/C values (and were similar to lignin-like compounds) whereas oxic soil compounds had higher O/C values, akin to tannin- and cellulose-like components. Cumulative respiration derived from native soil organic C was highest in static oxic soils. These results show how Fe minerals and Fe-OM interactions in tropical soils are highly sensitive to variable redox effects. Shifting soil oxygen availability rapidly impacted exchanges between mineral-sorbed and aqueous C pools, increased the dissolved organic C pool under anoxic conditions implying that the periodicity of low-redox events may control the fate of C in wet tropical soils.

Although pentavalent uranium can exist in aqueous solution, its presence in the solid state is uncommon. Metal monouranates, MgUO4, CrUO4 and FeUO4 were synthesized for detailed structural and energetic investigations. Structural characteristics of these uranates used powder X-ray diffraction, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and (57)Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy. Enthalpies of formation were measured by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided both structural and energetic information. The measured structural and thermodynamic properties show good consistency with those predicted from DFT. The presence of U(5+) has been solidly confirmed in CrUO4 and FeUO4, which are thermodynamically stable compounds, and the origin and stability of U(5+) in the system was elaborated by DFT. The structural and thermodynamic behaviour of U(5+) elucidated in this work is relevant to fundamental actinide redox chemistry and to applications in the nuclear industry and radioactive waste disposal.

Infiltration of aqueous acidic waste to the subsurface may induce conditions that alter contaminant transport. Experiments were conducted to examine the effects of low pore water pH and associated changes to sediment properties on U(VI) behavior in sediments. Macroscopic batch experiments were combined with a variety of bulk characterization studies (Mossbauer and laser spectroscopy), micron-scale inspections (μ-XRF), and molecular scale interrogations (XANES) with the objectives to: 1) determine the extent of U(VI) partitioning to Hanford sediments exposed to acidic waste simulants and held at pH = 2, pH = 5, or under neutral conditions (pH = 8) at varying ionic strength, and in the presence of air [bench-top (BT) experiments] or in the absence of air [glove-box (GB) experiments]; and 2) determine the uranium micron-scale solid phase and associated valence state resulting from the experimental conditions. The investigation showed minimal overall changes in Fe mineralogy as a result of sediment exposure to acid solutions, but an increase in the highly reactive nano Fe fraction of the sediment. Greater uranium partitioning was observed at pH = 5 than at pH = 2 and 8. The μ-XRF inspections and XANES analyses confirmed that high concentration areas on sediment surfaces were rich in U(VI) in the BT experiments, and both U(IV) and U(VI) in the GB experiments. The laser spectroscopy data showed that uranyl phosphates {e.g., metaautunite [Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10–12H2O] and phosphuranylite [KCa(H3O)3(UO2)7(PO4)4O4·8H2O]} may have formed in the BT experiments. In the GB experiments, in addition to U(IV) phases, U(VI) phases may have also formed similar to those that are naturally present in the sediment, but at higher concentrations. The results provide insights about U(VI) mobility beneath acidic waste disposal sites.

An experimental and modeling study was conducted to investigate pertechnetate (Tc(VII)O4(-)) retardation, reduction, and rate scaling in three sediments from Ringold formation at U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site, where (99)Tc is a major contaminant in groundwater. Tc(VII) was reduced in all the sediments in both batch reactors and diffusion columns, with a faster rate in a sediment containing a higher concentration of HCl-extractable Fe(II). Tc(VII) migration in the diffusion columns was reductively retarded with retardation degrees correlated with Tc(VII) reduction rates. The reduction rates were faster in the diffusion columns than those in the batch reactors, apparently influenced by the spatial distribution of redox-reactive minerals along transport paths that supplied Tc(VII). X-ray computed tomography and autoradiography were performed to identify the spatial locations of Tc(VII) reduction and transport paths in the sediments, and results generally confirmed the newly found behavior of reaction rate changes from batch to column. The results from this study implied that Tc(VII) migration can be reductively retarded at Hanford site with a retardation degree dependent on reactive Fe(II) content and its distribution in sediments. This study also demonstrated that an effective reaction rate may be faster in transport systems than that in well-mixed reactors.

Biological redox cycling of structural Fe in phyllosilicates is an important but poorly understood process. The objective of this research was to study microbially mediated redox cycles of Fe in nontronite (NAu-2). During the reduction phase, structural Fe(III) in NAu-2 served as electron acceptor, lactate as electron donor, AQDS as electron shuttle, and dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 as mediator in bicarbonate- and PIPES-buffered media. During the oxidation phase, biogenic Fe(II) served as electron donor and nitrate as electron acceptor. Nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002 was added as mediator in the same media. For all three cycles, structural Fe in NAu-2 was able to reversibly undergo three redox cycles without significant dissolution. Fe(II) in bioreduced samples occurred in two distinct environments, at edges and in the interior of the NAu-2 structure. Nitrate reduction to nitrogen gas was coupled with oxidation of edge-Fe(II) and part of interior-Fe(II) under both buffer conditions, and its extent and rate did not change with Fe redox cycles. These results suggest that biological redox cycling of structural Fe in phyllosilicates is a reversible process and has important implications for biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients in natural environments.

Using a traditional aqueous solution ion-exchange method under a protecting atmosphere of N2, an Fe/SSZ-13 catalyst active in NH3-SCR was synthesized. Mossbauer and FTIR spectroscopies were used to probe the nature of the Fe sites. In the fresh sample, the majority of Fe species are extra-framework cations. The likely monomeric and dimeric ferric ions in hydrated form are [Fe(OH)2]+ and [HO Fe O Fe OH]2+, based on Mossbauer measurements. During the harsh hydrothermal aging (HTA) applied in this study, a majority of cationic Fe species convert to FeAlOx and clustered FeOx species, accompanied by dealumination of the SSZ-13 framework. The clustered FeOx species do not give a sextet Mossbauer spectrum, indicating that these are highly disordered. However, some Fe species in cationic positions remain after aging as determined from Mossbauer measurements and CO/NO FTIR titrations. NO/NH3 oxidation reaction tests reveal that dehydrated cationic Fe is substantially more active in catalyzing oxidation reactions than the hydrated ones. For NH3-SCR, enhancement of NO oxidation under ‘dry’ conditions promotes SCR rates below ∼300 °C. This is due mainly to contribution from the “fast” SCR channel. Above ∼300 °C, enhancement of NH3 oxidation under ‘dry’ conditions, however, becomes detrimental to NOx conversions. The HTA sample loses much of the SCR activity below ∼300 °C; however, above ∼400 °C much of the activity remains. This may suggest that the FeAlOx and FeOx species become active at such elevated temperatures. Alternatively, the high-temperature activity may be maintained by the remaining extra-framework cationic species. For potential practical applications, Fe/SSZ-13 may be used as a co-catalyst for Cu/CHA as integral aftertreatment SCR catalysts on the basis of the stable high temperature activity after hydrothermal aging.

At the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington, discharge of radionuclide laden liquid wastes resulted in vadose zone contamination, providing a continuous source of these contaminants to groundwater. The presence of multiple contaminants (i.e., 99Tc and 129I) increases the complexity of finding viable remediation technologies to sequester contaminants in situ and protect groundwater. Although previous studies have shown the efficiency of zero valent iron (ZVI) and sulfur modified iron (SMI) in reducing mobile Tc(VII) to immobile Tc(IV) and iodate incorporation into calcite, the coupled effects from simultaneously using these remedial technologies have not been previously studied. In this first-of-a-kind laboratory study, we used reductants (ZVI or SMI) and calcite-forming solutions to simultaneously remove aqueous Tc(VII) and iodate via reduction and incorporation, respectively. The results confirmed that Tc(VII) was rapidly removed from the aqueous phase via reduction to Tc(IV). Most of the aqueous iodate was transformed to iodide faster than incorporation into calcite occurred, and therefore the I remained in the aqueous phase. These results suggested that this remedial pathway is not efficient in immobilizing iodate when reductants are present. Other experiments suggested that iodate removal via calcite precipitation should occur prior to adding reductants for Tc(VII) removal. When microbes were included in the tests, there was no negative impact on the microbial population but changes in the makeup of the microbial community were observed. These microbial community changes may have an impact on remediation efforts in the long-term that could not be seen in a short-term study. The results underscore the importance of identifying interactions between natural attenuation pathways and remediation technologies that only target individual contaminants.

Chesapeake Bay, the largest and most productive estuary in the U.S., suffers from varying degrees of water quality issues fueled by both point and nonpoint nutrient sources. Restoration of the Bay is complicated by the multitude of nutrient sources, their variable inputs, and complex interaction between imported and regenerated nutrients. These complexities not only restrict formulation of effective restoration plans but also open up debates on accountability issues with nutrient loading. A detailed understanding of sediment phosphorus (P) dynamics provides information useful in identifying the exchange of dissolved constituents across the sediment-water interface as well as helps to better constrain the mechanisms and processes controlling the coupling between sediments and the overlying waters. Here we used phosphate oxygen isotope ratios (δ(18)O(P)) in concert with sediment chemistry, X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy on sediments retrieved from an organic rich, sulfidic site in the mesohaline portion of the mid-Bay to identify sources and pathway of sedimentary P cycling and to infer potential feedbacks on bottom water hypoxia and surface water eutrophication. Authigenic phosphate isotope data suggest that the regeneration of inorganic P from organic matter degradation (remineralization) is the predominant, if not sole, pathway for authigenic P precipitation in the mid-Bay sediments. This indicates that the excess inorganic P generated by remineralization should have overwhelmed any pore water and/or bottom water because only a fraction of this precipitates as authigenic P. This is the first research that identifies the predominance of remineralization pathway and recycling of P within the Chesapeake Bay. Therefore, these results have significant implications on the current understanding of sediment P cycling and P exchange across the sediment-water interface in the Bay, particularly in terms of the sources and pathways of P that sustain hypoxia and may potentially support phytoplankton growth in the surface water.

A spectroscopic study was conducted on six simulant nuclear waste glasses using multi-nuclear NMR, Raman, and Mossbauer spectroscopies exploring the role of Si, Al, B, Na, and Fe in the glass network with the goal of understanding melt structure precursors to deleterious nepheline crystal formation. NMR showed two sites each for Al, Si, and Na in the samples which crystallized significant amounts of nepheline, and B speciation changed, typically resulting in more B(IV) after crystallization. Raman spectroscopy suggested that some of the glass structure is composed of metaborate chains or rings, thus significant numbers of non-bridging oxygen and a separation of the borate from the alumino-silicate network. Mossbauer, combined with Fe redox chemical measurements, showed Fe playing a minor role in these glasses, mostly as Fe3 +, but iron oxide spinel forms with nepheline in all cases. A model of the glass network and allocation of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs) was computed using experimental B(IV) fractions which predicted a large amount of NBO consistent with Raman spectra of metaborate features.

Spectrum-processing software that incorporates a Gaussian smoothing kernel within the statistics of first-order Kalman filtration has been developed to provide cross-channel spectral noise reduction for increased real-time signal-to-noise ratios for Mossbauer spectroscopy. The filter was optimized for the breadth of the Gaussian using the Mossbauer spectrum of natural iron foil, and comparisons among the peak broadening, signal-to-noise ratios, and shifts in the calculated hyperfine parameters are presented. The results of optimization give a maximum improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of 51.1% over the unfiltered spectrum at a Gaussian breadth of 27 channels, or 2.5% of the total spectrum width. The full-width half-maximum of the spectrum peaks showed an increase of 19.6% at this optimum point, indicating a relatively weak increase in the peak broadening relative to the signal enhancement, leading to an overall increase in the observable signal. Calculations of the hyperfine parameters showed that no statistically significant deviations were introduced from the application of the filter, confirming the utility of this filter for spectroscopy applications.