Dissolution Chemistry Research Articles

Microporous silica membranes promote plasmonic nanoparticle stability for SERS detection of uranyl.

Silica membrane stabilized gold coated silver (Ag@Au) (i.e., internally etched silica coated Ag@Au (IE Ag@Au@SiO2)) nanoparticles promote surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity and detection of uranium(vi) oxide (uranyl) under harsh solution phase conditions including at pH 3-7, with ionic strengths up to 150 mM, and temperatures up to 37 °C for at least 10 hours. These materials overcome traditional solution-phase plasmonic nanomaterial limitations including signal variability and/or degradation arising from nanoparticle aggregation, dissolution, and/or surface chemistry changes. Quantitative uranyl detection occurs via coordination to 3-mercaptopropionate (MPA), a result confirmed through changes in correlated SERS intensities for uranyl and COOH/COO- vibrational modes. Quantification is demonstrated down to 110 nM, a concentration below toxic levels. As pH varies from 3 to 7, the plasmonic properties of the nanoparticles are unchanged, and the uranyl signal depends on both the protonation state of MPA as well as uranyl solubility. High ionic strengths (up to 150 mM) and incubation at 37 °C for at least 10 hours do not impact the SERS activity of uranyl even though slight silica dissolution is observed during thermal treatment. All in all, microporous silica membranes effectively protect the nanoparticles against variations in solution conditions thus illustrating robust tunability for uranyl detection using SERS.

Investigating Chemistry of Metal Dissolution in Amine–Thiol Mixtures and Exploiting It toward Benign Ink Formulation for Metal Chalcogenide Thin Films

Solution processing of metal chalcogenides using elemental metals dissolved in an amine–thiol solvent mixture has recently received a great deal of attention for the fabrication of thin-film optoelectronic devices. However, little is known about the dissolution pathway for metallic precursors in such mixtures. To exploit the full potential of this method, it is essential that a detailed understanding of the dissolution chemistry be developed. In this study, we use several characterization techniques to examine these solutions and then propose reaction mechanisms for In and Cu dissolutions in a hexylamine/1,2-ethanedithiol mixture. These dissolutions are rather found to be reactions resulting in metal oxidation with coevolution of H2 forming bis(1,2-ethanedithiolate)indium(III) in the case of indium dissolution and high nuclearity Cu(I) thiolate compounds in case of copper dissolution. This understanding allowed us to address the issue of toxicity and corrosivity associated with amine–thiol solvent by util...

A concise chemical kinetics algorithm for carbonated brine injection in carbonate reservoirs

A single-cell segregated solver for calculating the behavior of carbonated brine injection in carbonate rocks aiming at carbon geological storage is presented. The approach is designed to represent an element in computational fluid dynamics simulations and enhance customization to include dissolution chemistry by integrating a CO2 solubility model, speciation calculations, mineral dissolution reactions and the consequent change in reservoir properties over time. The equilibrium and dissolution reactions are calculated sequentially, where an adaptive control of the time step ensures that the dissolution rate is computed from the correct equilibrium condition. A pseudo-homogeneous medium represents the reservoir, where alterations in rock structure are computed via a formulation based on Kozeny-Carman. Finally, a stabilization algorithm based on the Bjerrum plot of H2CO3 provides numerical robustness for the speciation calculations. The results can estimate the time frame for the system to reach equilibrium and the corresponding changes in rock structure. The solubility model was validated against experimental data, while the speciation model was compared to more rigorous thermodynamics models such as electrolyte-NRTL and Pitzer, showing minor differences. The algorithm as a whole provides similar results for the pH when compared to a state-of-the-art single-cell model with an extensive chemical system for a real reservoir, proving it can be a viable option for numerical simulations.

The light triggered dissolution of gold wires using potassium ferrocyanide solutions enables cumulative illumination sensing

Electronic systems with on-demand dissolution or destruction capabilities offer unusual opportunities in hardware-oriented security devices, advanced military spying and controlled biological treatment. Here, the dissolution chemistry of gold, generally known as inert metal, in potassium ferricyanide and potassium ferrocyanide solutions has been investigated upon light exposure. While a pure aqueous solution of potassium ferricyanide–K3[Fe(CN)6] does not dissolve gold, an aqueous solution of potassium ferrocyanide–K4[Fe(CN)6] irradiated with ambient light is able to completely dissolve a gold electrode within several minutes. Photo activation and dissolution kinetics were assessed at different initial pH values, light irradiation intensities and ferrocyanide concentrations. Addition of small amounts of the heavy metal thallium (260 ppb) also provides tunability of the dissolution kinetics. An investigation of the involved chemical and physical processes of photochemistry, cyanide diffusion and surface reaction results in an understanding of the rate limiting steps and yields an overall transformation of irradiated light energy to dissolved gold of 2.6%. A potential application of this novel gold dissolution method as a cumulative light sensor is demonstrated and discussed.

High-precision zirconium stable isotope measurements of geological reference materials as measured by double-spike MC-ICPMS

Zirconium plays a major role in geochemistry as it is the major cation of zircons - the oldest preserved minerals on Earth. While Zr isotopic anomalies in meteorites have been widely studied, mass dependant Zr stable isotope fractionation during geological processing has been untouched. Here, we report Zr stable isotopic data for terrestrial igneous rocks and present a novel method for the determination of Zr stable isotope ratios within natural geological materials using ion exchange, double-spike, multiple-collector inductively coupled mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS). Zirconium is isolated from the rock matrix via a chromatographic separation protocol using a first pass column with AG1-X8 anion exchange resin, and a second pass column containing Eichrom® DGA resin. A 91Zr–96Zr double-spike was created from enriched single 91Zr and 96Zr isotope spikes. Samples were combined with the Zr double-spike at a 43:57 spike:sample [Zr] ratio, prior to dissolution and column chemistry. After column chemistry the purified sample solutions were analysed on a Thermo Scientific Neptune Plus MC-ICPMS and the data was reduced using IsoSpike, with the final Zr isotope data being reported as the per mil deviation of the 94Zr/90Zr from the IPGP-Zr standard (δ94/90ZrIPGP-Zr). The δ94/90ZrIPGP-Zr of six igneous standard reference materials: two basalts (BHVO-2 and JB-2), one andesite (AGV-2), two granites (GA and GS-N) and a serpentinite (UB-N) as well as one individual zircon grain (Plešovice zircon), are presented using this method. Sample measurements are presented with an analytical uncertainty of ±~0.05‰ (2sd) for δ94/90ZrIPGP-Zr and these rocks exhibit isotopic variations of ~0.15‰ for δ94/90ZrIPGP-Zr. These results demonstrate that natural variations of Zr isotopes occur within terrestrial igneous rocks, and are resolvable with this method. Finally the variation of δ94/90ZrIPGP-Zr values observed within the magmatic rock reference materials is correlated (R2 = 0.78; n = 5) with SiO2, suggesting that Zr isotopes could serve as a sensitive tracer of magmatic processes.

Evaluation of the losartan solubility in the biowaiver context by shake-flask method and intrinsic dissolution

This study aimed at evaluating the shake-flask use as a universal method to evaluate drug solubility in a biowaiver context as proposed by FDA, EMA and ANVISA. The solubility of losartan was determined in three buffers using the shake-flask method, intrinsic dissolution (ID) and Quantum Chemistry. Moreover, the evaluation of a losartan dissolution profile from coated tablets was conducted. The losartan low solubility in pH 1.2 and high solubility in pH 6.8 were observed using the shake-flask method. However, the solubility results using ID demonstrated its high solubility in pH 1.2 and 6.8. It was not possible to find conclusive results regarding the solubility of the drug in pH 4.5. The studies conducted by Quantum Chemistry provide molecular and electronic data that helped understand the losartan solvation in different pH values. Our experimental results defined that losartan can be classified as a low-solubility drug. In addition, this work shows that shake-flask cannot be a universal method of solubility studies in biowaiver context. Individual analysis will be necessary. The intrinsic dissolution should be considered as a complementary method.

Advanced Materials and Devices for Bioresorbable Electronics.

Recent advances in materials chemistry establish the foundations for unusual classes of electronic systems, characterized by their ability to fully or partially dissolve, disintegrate, or otherwise physically or chemically decompose in a controlled fashion after some defined period of stable operation. Such types of "transient" technologies may enable consumer gadgets that minimize waste streams associated with disposal, implantable sensors that disappear harmlessly in the body, and hardware-secure platforms that prevent unwanted recovery of sensitive data. This second area of opportunity, sometimes referred to as bioresorbable electronics, is of particular interest due to its ability to provide diagnostic or therapeutic function in a manner that can enhance or monitor transient biological processes, such as wound healing, while bypassing risks associated with extended device load on the body or with secondary surgical procedures for removal. Early chemistry research established sets of bioresorbable materials for substrates, encapsulation layers, and dielectrics, along with several options in organic and bio-organic semiconductors. The subsequent realization that nanoscale forms of device-grade monocrystalline silicon, such as silicon nanomembranes (m-Si NMs, or Si NMs) undergo hydrolysis in biofluids to yield biocompatible byproducts over biologically relevant time scales advanced the field by providing immediate routes to high performance operation and versatile, sophisticated levels of function. When combined with bioresorbable conductors, dielectrics, substrates, and encapsulation layers, Si NMs provide the basis for a broad, general class of bioresorbable electronics. Other properties of Si, such as its piezoresistivity and photovoltaic properties, allow other types of bioresorbable devices such as solar cells, strain gauges, pH sensors, and photodetectors. The most advanced bioresorbable devices now exist as complete systems with successful demonstrations of clinically relevant modes of operation in animal models. This Account highlights the foundational materials concepts for this area of technology, starting with the dissolution chemistry and reaction kinetics associated with hydrolysis of Si NMs as a function of temperature, pH, and ion and protein concentration. A following discussion focuses on key supporting materials, including a range of dielectrics, metals, and substrates. As comparatively low performance alternatives to Si NMs, bioresorbable organic semiconductors are also presented, where interest derives from their intrinsic flexibility, low-temperature processability, and ease of chemical modification. Representative examples of encapsulation materials and strategies in passive and active control of device lifetime are then discussed, with various device illustrations. A final section outlines bioresorbable electronics for sensing of various biophysical parameters, monitoring electrophysiological activity, and delivering drugs in a programmed manner. Fundamental research in chemistry remains essential to the development of this emerging field, where continued advances will increase the range of possibilities in sensing, actuation, and power harvesting. Materials for encapsulation layers that can delay water-diffusion and dissolution of active electronics in passively or actively triggered modes are particularly important in addressing areas of opportunity in clinical medicine, and in secure systems for envisioned military and industrial uses. The deep scientific content and the broad range of application opportunities suggest that research in transient electronic materials will remain a growing area of interest to the chemistry community.

Graph Theory and Ion and Molecular Aggregation in Aqueous Solutions

In molecular and cellular biology, dissolved ions and molecules have decisive effects on chemical and biological reactions, conformational stabilities, and functions of small to large biomolecules. Despite major efforts, the current state of understanding of the effects of specific ions, osmolytes, and bioprotecting sugars on the structure and dynamics of water H-bonding networks and proteins is not yet satisfactory. Recently, to gain deeper insight into this subject, we studied various aggregation processes of ions and molecules in high-concentration salt, osmolyte, and sugar solutions with time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation methods. It turns out that ions (or solute molecules) have a strong propensity to self-assemble into large and polydisperse aggregates that affect both local and long-range water H-bonding structures. In particular, we have shown that graph-theoretical approaches can be used to elucidate morphological characteristics of large aggregates in various aqueous salt, osmolyte, and sugar solutions. When ion and molecular aggregates in such aqueous solutions are treated as graphs, a variety of graph-theoretical properties, such as graph spectrum, degree distribution, clustering coefficient, minimum path length, and graph entropy, can be directly calculated by considering an ensemble of configurations taken from molecular dynamics trajectories. Here we show percolating behavior exhibited by ion and molecular aggregates upon increase in solute concentration in high solute concentrations and discuss compelling evidence of the isomorphic relation between percolation transitions of ion and molecular aggregates and water H-bonding networks. We anticipate that the combination of graph theory and molecular dynamics simulation methods will be of exceptional use in achieving a deeper understanding of the fundamental physical chemistry of dissolution and in describing the interplay between the self-aggregation of solute molecules and the structure and dynamics of water.

The kinetics of transpassive dissolution chemistry of stainless steels in nitric acid: The impact of Si

Atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry was used to monitor the elemental dissolution of two stainless steels during transpassive polarization. A 304LN stainless steel (X2 CrNiN 18-10) was compared with a 3.5 wt% Si rich stainless steel (X1 CrNiSi 18-15-4) so as to elucidate the effect of Si on the dissolution mechanism. The enrichment in Si shifted the cathodic reaction to lower potentials explaining that in hot and concentrated nitric acid containing oxidizing species, 304LN SS corrodes more rapidly due to the transpassive break of passivity, while the 3.5 wt% Si SS remains passive. However, when polarized into the transpassive domain, preferential grain boundary corrosion was observed for the 304LN but not for the 3.5 wt% Si SS, despite having similar current densities. Congruent alloy dissolution was observed in the transpassive domain with the stoichiometry of Fe(III), Cr(VI) and Ni(II) yielding a faradaic yield of 100% at early times. For longer times, with the 304LN, the faradaic yield drop to 70% indicative of intergranular dissolution in which the cations released in the intergranular space were not detected by the ICP-AES. Transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy showed that the interface of the 3.5 wt% Si SS enriches in Cr during a polarization in the transpassive domain of the steel. No similar enrichment was detected for the 304LN.

Speciation of CuCl and CuCl2 Thiol-Amine Solutions and Characterization of Resulting Films: Implications for Semiconductor Device Fabrication.

Thiol-amine mixtures are an attractive medium for the solution processing of semiconducting thin films because of their remarkable ability to dissolve a variety of metals, metal chalcogenides, metal salts, and chalcogens. However, very little is known about their dissolution chemistry. Electrospray ionization high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy were employed to identify the species formed upon dissolution of CuCl and CuCl2 in 1-propanethiol and n-butylamine. Copper was found to be present exclusively in the 1+ oxidation state for both solutions. The copper complexes detected include copper chlorides, copper thiolates, and copper thiolate chlorides. No complexes of copper with amines were observed. Additionally, alkylammonium ions and alkylammonium chloride adducts were observed. These findings suggest that the dissolution is initiated by proton transfer from the thiol to the amine, followed by coordination of the thiolate anions with copper cations. Interestingly, the mass and X-ray absorption spectra of the solutions of CuCl and CuCl2 in thiol-amine were essentially identical. However, dialkyl disulfides were identified by Raman spectroscopy as an oxidation product only for the copper(II) solution, wherein copper(II) had been reduced to copper(I). Analysis of several thiol-amine pairs suggested that the dissolution mechanism is quite general. Finally, analysis of thin films prepared from these solutions revealed persistent chlorine impurities, in agreement with previous studies. These impurities are explained by the mass spectrometric finding that chloride ligands are not completely displaced by thiolates upon dissolution. These results suggest that precursors other than chlorides will likely be preferred for the generation of high-efficiency copper chalcogenide films, despite the reasonable efficiencies that have been obtained for films generated from chloride precursors in the past.

The Influence of Various Process Parameters on Dissolution Kinetics and Mechanism of Struvite Seed Crystals

The basic understanding of struvite dissolution chemistry is essential to designers and operators for anticipating struvite problem and remediating existing struvite damage in a wastewater treatment. The dissolution kinetic of struvite seed crystals is very important parameters to determine a solid substance entering in solvent to yield a solution. In this study the dissolution kinetics of struvite crystals (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) in deionized water was investigated in a batch crystallizer. The effects of stirrer speeds, temperature and seed crystals size on the dissolution rate were determined. The results showed that an increase of struvite dissolution rate with increasing stirring speed. Struvite dissolution occurred via a diffusion-controlled mechanism in the range of stirrer speeds 120–400 rpm but became interfacial-reaction-controlling at over 400 rpm. The influence of temperature on dissolution kinetic of struvite crystals was also investigated at stirrer speeds of 200 and 500 rpm. The dissolution rates increased with an increase in the temperature for both stirrer speeds. The change in activation energies at different stirrer speeds confirmed that the change of dissolution mechanism from a diffusion-controlled mechanism at low stirrer speeds to an interfacial-reaction-controlled mechanism at higher stirrer speeds. The dissolution rate of struvite crystals increased with smaller crystal sizes.

Stability Limits and Defect Dynamics in Ag Nanoparticles Probed by Bragg Coherent Diffractive Imaging.

Dissolution is critical to nanomaterial stability, especially for partially dealloyed nanoparticle catalysts. Unfortunately, highly active catalysts are often not stable in their reactive environments, preventing widespread application. Thus, focusing on the structure-stability relationship at the nanoscale is crucial and will likely play an important role in meeting grand challenges. Recent advances in imaging capability have come from electron, X-ray, and other techniques but tend to be limited to specific sample environments and/or two-dimensional images. Here, we report investigations into the defect-stability relationship of silver nanoparticles to voltage-induced electrochemical dissolution imaged in situ in three-dimensional detail by Bragg coherent diffractive imaging. We first determine the average dissolution kinetics by stationary probe rotating disk electrode in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which allows in situ measurement of Ag+ ion formation. We then observe the dissolution and redeposition processes in single nanocrystals, providing unique insight about the role of surface strain, defects, and their coupling to the dissolution chemistry. The methods developed and the knowledge gained go well beyond a "simple" silver electrochemistry and are applicable to all electrocatalytic reactions where functional links between activity and stability are controlled by structure and defect dynamics.

Defect chemistry and thermodynamic properties of proton dissolution into BaZr0.9Y0.1O3 − δ

Proton concentration in BaZr0.9Y0.1O3−δ was measured by highly-accurate thermogravimetry as functions of temperature and p(H2O), and thermodynamic properties of the proton dissolution were discussed. Apparent Gibbs free energy change of the proton dissolution reaction changes with proton concentration even at a constant temperature. This means the proton dissolution in BaZr0.9Y0.1O3−δ is not ideal-solution-like. The deviation from the ideal solution became more significant with increasing temperature i.e. decreasing the proton concentration. This indicated the interaction between oxygen vacancies or electron hole, dopant-defect interaction, or lattice deformation may cause the proton dissolution in BaZr0.9Y0.1O3−δ especially at higher temperature.

Revealing the Molecular Structural Transformation of Hardwood and Softwood in Dilute Acid Flowthrough Pretreatment

To understand better the intrinsic recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, the main hurdle to its efficient deconstruction, the effects of dilute acid flowthrough pretreatment on the dissolution chemistry of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin for both hardwood (e.g., poplar wood) and softwood (e.g., lodgepole pine wood) were investigated at temperatures of 200 to 270 °C and a flow rate of 25 mL/min with 0.05% (w/w) H2SO4. Results suggested that the softwood cellulose was more readily degraded into monomeric sugars than that of hardwood under same pretreatment conditions. However, while the hardwood lignin was completely removed into hydrolysate, ∼30% of the softwood lignin remained as solid residues under identical conditions, which was plausibly caused by vigorous C5-active recondensation reactions (C–C5). Effects of molecular structural features (i.e., lignin molecular weight, cellulose crystallinity, and condensed lignin structures) on the recalcitrance of hardwood and softwood to dilute acid pretreatment were identified for the first time in this study, providing important insights to establish the effective biomass pretreatment.

Sparingly Solvating Electrolytes for High Energy Density Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Moving to lighter and less expensive battery chemistries compared to contemporary lithium-ion requires the control of energy storage mechanisms based on chemical transformations rather than intercalation. Lithium–sulfur (Li/S) has tremendous theoretical specific energy, but contemporary approaches to control this solution-mediated, precipitation–dissolution chemistry require large excesses of electrolyte to fully solubilize the polysulfide intermediates. Achieving reversible electrochemistry under lean electrolyte operation is the most promising path for Li/S to move beyond niche applications to potentially transformational performance. An emerging Li/S research area is the use of sparingly solvating electrolytes and the creation of design rules for discovering new electrolyte systems that fundamentally decouple electrolyte volume from sulfur and polysulfide reaction mechanism. This Perspective presents an outlook for sparingly solvating electrolytes as a key path forward for long-lived, high energy densi...

Determination of gold and silver in geological samples by focused infrared digestion: A re-investigation of aqua regia digestion

Focused infrared radiation-based digestions, for the determination of gold and silver, can be achieved in a timeframe as short as 10–15min, making it an attractive candidate technology for the mining industry, where very large numbers of samples are analyzed on a daily basis. An investigation was carried out into gold and silver dissolution chemistry from geological samples using this novel digestion technique. This study investigated in-depth the issue of low recoveries of gold from aqua regia (AR) digestions, reported by a number of researchers. Conventional AR digestions consistently delivered gold recoveries in a range of 69–80% of the certified values for the four certified reference materials (CRM) employed (CCU-1d, SN26, OREAS 62c, and AMiS 0274), while silver recoveries were satisfactory. By gradually shifting the HCl:HNO3 ratio (v/v) from 3:1 to a reversed 1:3 ratio, recoveries of gold and silver exhibited inverse trends. At a HCl:HNO3 ratio of 1:3, complete recovery of gold was achieved with excellent reproducibility in all CRMs. Meanwhile, silver recoveries plunged significantly at this ratio in samples with higher silver concentrations. Silver values were recovered, however, when the silver was re-solubilized by adding a small volume of concentrated HCl to the cooled reverse aqua regia digests. Recoveries of base metals, such as Fe and Cu, were satisfactory throughout and were much less sensitive to changes in the digestion medium. Using four CRMs and five real-world gold/silver containing samples, the utility of the proposed reverse aqua regia was systematically studied. The uncomplicated nature of the digestion methods reported here, that are fast, effective and inexpensive, may be useful to analysts developing/optimizing their methods for the rapid determination of Au and Ag in a variety of mineral phases, particularly where rapid results are desirable, such as in prospecting and mine development.

Dissolution chemistry and biocompatibility of silicon- and germanium-based semiconductors for transient electronics.

Semiconducting materials are central to the development of high-performance electronics that are capable of dissolving completely when immersed in aqueous solutions, groundwater, or biofluids, for applications in temporary biomedical implants, environmentally degradable sensors, and other systems. The results reported here include comprehensive studies of the dissolution by hydrolysis of polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, silicon-germanium, and germanium in aqueous solutions of various pH values and temperatures. In vitro cellular toxicity evaluations demonstrate the biocompatibility of the materials and end products of dissolution, thereby supporting their potential for use in biodegradable electronics. A fully dissolvable thin-film solar cell illustrates the ability to integrate these semiconductors into functional systems.

Decomposition modes of austenite in 9Cr–W–V–Ta reduced activation ferritic–martensitic steels

The present paper presents the results of an extensive electron microscopy investigation on the decomposition modes of high temperature austenite in 9Cr–W–V–Ta reduced activation ferritic–martensitic steels. Although the displacive martensitic transformation is predominant on austenitisation, low volume fraction of Fe rich M3C or M23C6 precipitates formed, when the tungsten content exceeded 1 wt-%. The compositional inhomogeneity introduced in the austenite by the nature, chemistry and kinetics of dissolution of the pre-existing carbides is dependent on the steel composition and austenitisation conditions. The extent of repartitioning of tungsten between M23C6 and ferrite largely influences the kinetics of austenite and martensite transformation, for the same austenitisation conditions. Supporting evidence from calorimetry analysis is also presented.

Structure of water at charged interfaces: a molecular dynamics study.

The properties of water molecules located close to an interface deviate significantly from those observed in the homogeneous bulk liquid. The length scale over which this structural perturbation persists (the so-called interfacial depth) is the object of extensive investigations. The situation is particularly complicated in the presence of surface charges that can induce long-range orientational ordering of water molecules, which in turn dictate diverse processes, such as mineral dissolution, heterogeneous catalysis, and membrane chemistry. To characterize the fundamental properties of interfacial water, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on alkali chloride solutions in the presence of two types of idealized charged surfaces: one with the charge density localized at discrete sites and the other with a homogeneously distributed charge density. We find that, in addition to a diffuse region where water orientation shows no layering, the interface region consists of a "compact layer" of solvent next to the surface that is not described in classical electric double layer theories. The depth of the diffuse solvent layer is sensitive to the type of charge distributions on the surface and the ionic strength. Simulations of the aqueous interface of a realistic model of negatively charged amorphous silica show that the water orientation and the distribution of ions strongly depend on the identity of the cations (Na(+) vs Cs(+)) and are not well represented by a simplistic homogeneous charge distribution model. While the compact layer shows different solvent net orientation and depth for Na(+) vs Cs(+), the depth (~1 nm) of the diffuse layer of oriented waters is independent of the identity of the cation screening the charge. The details of interfacial water orientation revealed here go beyond the traditionally used double and triple layer models and provide a microscopic picture of the aqueous/mineral interface that complements recent surface specific experimental studies.

Radionuclide release from simulated waste material after biogeochemical leaching of uraniferous mineral samples

Biogeochemical mineral dissolution is a promising method for the released of metals in low-grade host mineralization that contain sulphidic minerals. The application of biogeochemical mineral dissolution to engineered leach heap piles in the Elliot Lake region may be considered as a promising passive technology for the economic recovery of low grade Uranium-bearing ores. In the current investigation, the decrease of radiological activity of uraniferous mineral material after biogeochemical mineral dissolution is quantified by gamma spectroscopy and compared to the results from digestion/ICP-MS analysis of the ore materials to determine if gamma spectroscopy is a simple, viable alternative quantification method for heavy nuclides. The potential release of Uranium (U) and Radium-226 (226Ra) to the aqueous environment from samples that have been treated to represent various stages of leaching and passive closure processes are assessed. Dissolution of U from the solid phase has occurred during biogeochemical mineral dissolution in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, with gamma spectroscopy indicating an 84% decrease in Uranium-235 (235U) content, a value in accordance with the data obtained by dissolution chemistry. Gamma spectroscopy data indicate that only 30% of the 226Ra was removed during the biogeochemical mineral dissolution. Chemical inhibition and passivation treatments of waste materials following the biogeochemical mineral dissolution offer greater protection against residual U and 226Ra leaching. Pacified samples resist the release of 226Ra contained in the mineral phase and may offer more protection to the aqueous environment for the long term, compared to untreated or inhibited residues, and should be taken into account for future decommissioning.