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ABSTRACT: Abiotic reduction of inorganic mercury by natural organic matter and native soils is well-known, and recently there is evidence that reduced iron (Fe) species, such as magnetite, green rust, and Fe sulfides, can also reduce Hg(II). Here, we evaluated the reduction of Hg(II) by magnetites with varying Fe(II) content in both the absence and presence of chloride. Specifically, we evaluated whether magnetite stoichiometry (x = Fe(II)/Fe(III)) influences the rate of Hg(II) reduction and formation of products. In the absence of chloride, reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) is observed over a range of magnetite stoichiometries (0.29 < x < 0.50) in purged headspace reactors and unpurged low headspace reactors, as evidenced by Hg recovery in a volatile product trap solution and Hg LIII-edge X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). In the presence of chloride, however, XANES spectra indicate the formation of a metastable Hg(I) calomel species (Hg2Cl2) from the reduction of Hg(II). Interestingly, Hg(I) species are only observed for the more oxidized magnetite particles that contain lower Fe(II) content (x < 0.42). For the more reduced magnetite particles (x ≥ 0.42), Hg(II) is reduced to Hg(0) even in the presence of high chloride concentrations. As previously observed for nitroaromatic compounds and uranium, magnetite stoichiometry appears to influence the rate of Hg(II) reduction (both in the presence and absence of chloride) confirming that it is important to consider magnetite stoichiometry when assessing the fate of contaminants in Fe-rich subsurface environments.
Environmental Science & Technology 04/2013; · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Sorption-desorption experiments show that the majority (ca. 80-90%) of U(VI) presorbed to mesoporous and nanoporous alumina could not be released by extended (2 week) extraction with 50 mM NaHCO(3) in contrast with non-nanoporous α alumina. The extent of reduction of U(VI) presorbed to aluminum oxides was semiquantitatively estimated by comparing the percentages of uranium desorbed by anoxic sodium bicarbonate between AH(2)DS-reacted and unreacted control samples. X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirmed that U(VI) presorbed to non-nanoporous alumina was rapidly and completely reduced to nanoparticulate uraninite by AH(2)DS, whereas reduction of U(VI) presorbed to nanoporous alumina was slow and incomplete (<5% reduction after 1 week). The observed nanopore size-dependent redox behavior of U has important implications in developing efficient remediation techniques for the subsurface uranium contamination because the efficiency of in situ bioremediation depends on how effectively and rapidly U(VI) bound to sediment or soil can be converted to an immobile phase.
Environmental Science & Technology 06/2012; 46(13):7301-9. · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Regions within the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford 300 Area (300 A) site experience periodic hydrologic influences from the nearby Columbia River as a result of changing river stage, which causes changes in groundwater elevation, flow direction and water chemistry. An important question is the extent to which the mixing of Columbia River water and groundwater impacts the speciation and mobility of uranium (U). In this study, we designed experiments to mimic interactions among U, oxic groundwater or Columbia River water, and 300 A sediments in the subsurface environment of Hanford 300 A. The goals were to investigate mechanisms of: 1) U immobilization in 300 A sediments under bulk oxic conditions and 2) U remobilization from U-immobilized 300 A sediments exposed to oxic Columbia River water. Initially, 300 A sediments in column reactors were fed with U(VI)-containing oxic 1) synthetic groundwater (SGW), 2) organic-amended SGW (OA-SGW), and 3) de-ionized (DI) water to investigate U immobilization processes. After that, the sediments were exposed to oxic Columbia River water for U remobilization studies. The results reveal that U was immobilized by 300 A sediments predominantly through reduction (80-85%) when the column reactor was fed with oxic OA-SGW. However, U was immobilized by 300 A sediments through adsorption (100%) when the column reactors were fed with oxic SGW or DI water. The reduced U in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW was relatively resistant to remobilization by oxic Columbia River water. Oxic Columbia River water resulted in U remobilization (∼7%) through desorption, and most of the U that remained in the 300 A sediments fed with OA-SGW (∼93%) was in the form of uraninite nanoparticles. These results reveal that: 1) the reductive immobilization of U through OA-SGW stimulation of indigenous 300 A sediment microorganisms may be viable in the relatively oxic Hanford 300 A subsurface environments and 2) with the intrusion of Columbia River water, desorption may be the primary process resulting in U remobilization from OA-SGW-stimulated 300 A sediments at the subsurface of the Hanford 300 A site.
Water Research 05/2012; 46(13):3989-98. · 4.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The presence and importance of microenvironments in the subsurface at contaminated sites were suggested by previous geochemical studies. However, no direct quantitative characterization of the geochemical microenvironments had been reported. We quantitatively characterized microscale geochemical gradients (dissolved oxygen (DO), H(2), pH, and redox potential) in Hanford 300A subsurface sediment biofilms. Our results revealed significant differences in geochemical parameters across the sediment biofilm/water interface in the presence and absence of U(VI) under oxic and anoxic conditions. While the pH was relatively constant within the sediment biofilm, the redox potential and the DO and H(2) concentrations were heterogeneous at the microscale (<500-1000 μm). We found microenvironments with high DO levels (DO hotspots) when the sediment biofilm was exposed to U(VI). On the other hand, we found hotspots (high concentrations) of H(2) under anoxic conditions both in the presence and in the absence of U(VI). The presence of anoxic microenvironments inside the sediment biofilms suggests that U(VI) reduction proceeds under bulk oxic conditions. To test this, we operated our biofilm reactor under air-saturated conditions in the presence of U(VI) and characterized U speciation in the sediment biofilm. U L(III)-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS) showed that 80-85% of the U was in the U(IV) valence state.
Water Research 10/2011; 46(1):227-34. · 4.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Magnetite and green rust have been shown to reduce aqueous Hg(II) to Hg(0). In this study, we tested the ability of magnetite and green rust to reduce Hg(II) sorbed to 2 g · L(-1) of biomass (Bacillus subtilis), at high (50 μM) and low (5 μM) Hg loadings and at pH 6.5 and 5.0. At high Hg:biomass loading, where Hg(II) binding to biomass is predominantly through carboxyl functional groups, Hg L(III)-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) by magnetite. Reduction occurred within 2 h and 2 d at pH 6.5 and 5.0, respectively. At low Hg:biomass loading, where Hg(II) binds to biomass via sulfhydryl functional groups, Hg(II) was not reduced by magnetite at pH 6.5 or 5.0 after 2 months of reaction. Green rust, which is generally a stronger reductant than magnetite, reduced about 20% of the total Hg(II) bound to biomass via sulfhydryl groups to Hg(0) in 2 d. These results suggest that Hg(II) binding to carboxyl groups does not significantly inhibit the reduction of Hg(II) by magnetite. However, the binding of Hg(II) to biomass via sulfhydryl groups severely inhibits the ability of mixed Fe(II/III) phases like magnetite and green rust to reduce Hg(II) to Hg(0). The mobility of heavy metal contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments is greatly influenced by their speciation, especially their oxidation state. In the case of Hg, reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) can increase Hg mobility because of the volatility of Hg(0). Since Hg is typically present in aquatic and terrestrial systems at low concentrations, binding of Hg(II) to high-affinity sites on bacteria could have important implications for the potential reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) and the overall mobility of Hg in biostimulated subsurface environments.
Environmental Science & Technology 09/2011; 45(22):9597-603. · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This article investigates a facile one-pot method for the synthesis of Fe and Ag core/shell nanoparticles by aqueous reduction under ambient conditions. We have shown that the injection time of silver nitrate into a reaction vessel containing aqueous ferrous salt, sodium borohydride, and sodium citrate is a vital parameter for the precise control of a desired core/shell structure. For example, if silver nitrate is injected one minute after sodium borohydride is added to the reaction vessel, Ag will nucleate first followed by Fe, creating monodisperse Ag/Fe core/shell nanoparticles. In contrast, if the introduction time is prolonged to 5 min, Fe nanoparticles will nucleate followed by Ag producing Fe/Ag nanoparticles. The composition, morphology, and magnetic behavior were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and room-temperature vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Fe/Ag core/shell nanoparticles with optical and magnetic functionality offer broad opportunities in medicine, catalysis, and chemical detection.
11/2010;
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ABSTRACT: This article investigates a facile one-pot method for the synthesis of Fe and Ag core/shell nanoparticles by aqueous reduction under ambient conditions. We have shown that the injection time of silver nitrate into a reaction vessel containing aqueous ferrous salt, sodium borohydride, and sodium citrate is a vital parameter for the precise control of a desired core/shell structure. For example, if silver nitrate is injected one minute after sodium borohydride is added to the reaction vessel, Ag will nucleate first followed by Fe, creating monodisperse Ag/Fe core/shell nanoparticles. In contrast, if the introduction time is prolonged to 5 min, Fe nanoparticles will nucleate followed by Ag producing Fe/Ag nanoparticles. The composition, morphology, and magnetic behavior were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and room-temperature vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Fe/Ag core/shell nanoparticles with optical and magnetic functionality offer broad opportunities in medicine, catalysis, and chemical detection.
Chemistry of Materials. 01/2010; 22(9):6291–6296.
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ABSTRACT: Siderophores are low molecular weight organic ligands exuded by some aerobic organisms and plants to acquire Fe under Fe-limited conditions. The hydroxamate siderophores may sorb to aluminosilicate clays through a variety of mechanisms depending upon the nature of the clay and of the siderophore along with solution conditions such as pH, ionic strength, and presence of metal cations. They may also affect metal binding to clays. Here, we review previous studies of siderophore sorption to aluminosilicate clays; briefly discuss how the techniques of X-ray diffractometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy may be applied to such studies; review effects of siderophores on metal sorption to clays; and highlight some areas for future research.
Biology of Metals 06/2009; 22(4):649-58. · 3.17 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study investigates the complexation environments of aqueous Pb and Cd in the presence of the trihydroxamate microbial siderophore, desferrioxamine-B (DFO-B) as a function of pH. Complexation of aqueous Pb and Cd with DFO-B was predicted using equilibrium speciation calculation. Synchrotron-based X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy at Pb L(III) edge and Cd K edge was used to characterize Pb and Cd-DFO-B complexes at pH values predicted to best represent each of the metal-siderophore complexes. Pb was not found to be complexed measurably by DFO-B at pH 3.0, but was complexed by all three hydroxamate groups to form a totally "caged" hexadentate structure at pH 7.5-9.0. At the intermediate pH value (pH 4.8), a mixture of Pb-DFOB complexes involving binding of the metal through one and two hydroxamate groups was observed. Cd, on the other hand, remained as hydrated Cd2+ at pH 5.0, occurred as a mixture of Cd-DFOB and inorganic species at pH 8.0, and was bound by three hydroxamate groups from DFO-B at pH 9.0. Overall, the solution species observed with EXAFS were consistent with those predicted thermodynamically. However, Pb speciation at higher pH values differed from that predicted and suggests that published constants underestimate the binding constant for complexation of Pb with all three hydroxamate groups of the DFO-B ligand. This molecular-level understanding of metal-siderophore solution coordination provides physical evidence for complexes of Pb and Cd with DFO-B, and is an important first step toward understanding processes at the microbial- and/or mineral-water interface in the presence of siderophores.
Environmental Science and Technology 02/2009; 43(1):94-100. · 5.23 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bulk Cd adsorption isotherm experiments, thermodynamic equilibrium modeling, and Cd K edge EXAFS were used to constrain the mechanisms of proton and Cd adsorption to bacterial cells of the commonly occurring Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Shewanella oneidensis, respectively. Potentiometric titrations were used to characterize the functional group reactivity of the S. oneidensis cells, and we model the titration data using the same type of non-electrostatic surface complexation approach as was applied to titrations of B. subtilis suspensions by Fein et al. (2005). Similar to the results for B. subtilis, the S. oneidensis cells exhibit buffering behavior from approximately pH 3–9 that requires the presence of four distinct sites, with pKa values of 3.3 ± 0.2, 4.8 ± 0.2, 6.7 ± 0.4, and 9.4 ± 0.5, and site concentrations of 8.9(±2.6) × 10−5, 1.3(±0.2) × 10−4, 5.9(±3.3) × 10−5, and 1.1(±0.6) × 10−4 moles/g bacteria (wet mass), respectively. The bulk Cd isotherm adsorption data for both species, conducted at pH 5.9 as a function of Cd concentration at a fixed biomass concentration, were best modeled by reactions with a Cd:site stoichiometry of 1:1. EXAFS data were collected for both bacterial species as a function of Cd concentration at pH 5.9 and 10 g/L bacteria. The EXAFS results show that the same types of binding sites are responsible for Cd sorption to both bacterial species at all Cd loadings tested (1–200 ppm). Carboxyl sites are responsible for the binding at intermediate Cd loadings. Phosphoryl ligands are more important than carboxyl ligands for Cd binding at high Cd loadings. For the lowest Cd loadings studied here, a sulfhydryl site was found to dominate the bound Cd budgets for both species, in addition to the carboxyl and phosphoryl sites that dominate the higher loadings. The EXAFS results suggest that both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell walls have a low concentration of very high-affinity sulfhydryl sites which become masked by the more abundant carboxyl and phosphoryl sites at higher metal:bacteria ratios. This study demonstrates that metal loading plays a vital role in determining the important metal-binding reactions that occur on bacterial cell walls, and that high affinity, low-density sites can be revealed by spectroscopy of biomass samples. Such sites may control the fate and transport of metals in realistic geologic settings, where metal concentrations are low.
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we use extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy measurements to examine the atomic environment of Cd bound onto two experimental bacterial consortia: one grown from river water, and one grown from a manufacturing gas plant site. The experiments were conducted as a function of pH and demonstrate that the complex mixtures of bacteria, containing both Gram-positive and Gram-negative species, yield relatively simple EXAFS spectra, a result which indicates that only a limited number of functional group types contribute to Cd binding for each bacterial consortium. The EXAFS spectra indicate that the average Cd binding environment in the river water consortium varies significantly with pH, but the manufacturing gas plant consortium exhibits a Cd binding environment that remains relatively constant over the pH range examined. The EXAFS data for the river water consortium were modeled using carboxyl, phosphoryl and sulfhydryl sites. However, only carboxyl and phosphoryl sites were required to model the manufacturing gas plant consortium data under similar experimental conditions. This is the first EXAFS study to identify and quantify the relative importance of metal binding sites in bacterial consortia. Although our results indicate differences in the binding environments of the two consortia, the data suggest that there are broad similarities in the binding environments present on a wide range of bacterial cell walls.
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.
