Abstract
The interaction between pollutants and sediment particles often occurs on the particle surface, so surface properties directly affect surface reaction. The physical and chemical processes occurring on sediment particle surfaces are microscopic processes and as such need to be studied from a microscopic perspective. In this study, field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) were adopted to observe and analyze the pore structure and element distribution of sediment particles. In particular, a special method of sample preparation was used to achieve the corresponding cross-sectional information of sediment particles. Clear images of a particle profile and pore microstructure were obtained by high-resolution SEM, while element distribution maps of sediment particles were obtained by EDS. The results provide an intuitive understanding of the internal microenvironment and external behavior of sediment particles, in addition to revealing a significant role of pore microstructure in the adsorption and desorption of pollutants. Thus, a combination of different experimental instruments and observation methods can provide real images and information on microscopic pore structure and element distribution of sediment particles. These results should help to improve our understanding of sediment dynamics and its environmental effects.
Highlights
Environmental problems and ecological contradictions are becoming increasingly prominent in the world, and the adsorption and desorption of contaminants onto and from sediment particles have become hot topics in the study of water environment [1,2,3]
Formation of pores on sediment particle surface is caused by two major factors: the mineral structure of the particles, and the aggregation and bridging of various substances adsorbed on the particle surface
Cross-sectional information on the pore microstructure characteristics and element distribution rule was analyzed in detail
Summary
Environmental problems and ecological contradictions are becoming increasingly prominent in the world, and the adsorption and desorption of contaminants onto and from sediment particles have become hot topics in the study of water environment [1,2,3]. Compared with studies on geochemical properties, research on the surface properties of sediment particles is limited. Studies to date have focused on change in substance concentration in the solid-liquid interface, but the distribution of the adsorbed matter on the sediment surface and changes in the pore microstructure of sediment particles after adsorption has received little attention. Previous studies have investigated the surface properties of pure materials (especially pure oxide and hydrated oxide), but the properties of natural complex sediment particles are poorly understood. Information on the pore microstructure and element distribution on the surfaces of sediment particles is necessary to lay a foundation for studying the relationship between sediment particles and pollutants
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