Interaction of muscovite (0 0 1) with Pu bearing solutions at pH 3 through ex-situ observations

The interaction of Pu³⁺ bearing solutions with the muscovite (0 0 1) basal plane is explored using a combination of ex-situ approaches including alpha-counting, to determine the Pu³⁺ adsorption isotherm, and X-ray reflectivity (XR) and resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity (RAXR), to probe the interfacial structure and Pu-specific distribution, respectively. Pu uptake to the muscovite (0 0 1) surface from Pu³⁺ solutions in a 0.1 M NaClO₄ background electrolyte at pH 3 follows an approximate Langmuir isotherm with an apparent adsorption constant, K_app = 5 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, and with a maximum coverage that is consistent with the amount needed to fully compensate the surface charge by trivalent Pu. The XR results show that the muscovite surface reacted with a 10⁻³ M Pu³⁺ solution (at pH 3 with 0.1 M NaClO₄) and dried in the ambient environment, maintains a 30-40 Å thick layer, indicating the presence of a residual hydration layer (possibly including adventitious carbon). The RAXR results indicate that Pu sorbs on the muscovite surface with an intrinsically broad distribution with an average height of 18 Å, substantially larger than heights expected for any specifically adsorbed inner- or outer-sphere complexes. These results are discussed in the context of recent studies of cation adsorption trends on muscovite and the possible roles of Pu hydrolysis species in controlling the Pu-muscovite interactions.     

The reactivity of iron oxides towards reductive dissolution with ascorbic acid in a shallow sandy aquifer (Rømø, Denmark)

The pool of iron oxides, available in sediments for reductive dissolution, is usually estimated by wet chemical extraction methods. Such methods are basically empirically defined and calibrated against various synthetic iron oxides. However, in natural sediments, iron oxides are present as part of a complex mixture of iron oxides with variable crystallinity, clays and organics etc. Such a mixture is more accurately described by a reactive continuum covering a range from highly reactive iron oxides to non-reactive iron oxide. The reactivity of the pool of iron oxides in sediment can be determined by reductive dissolution in 10 mM ascorbic acid at pH 3. Parallel dissolution experiments in HCl at pH 3 reveal the release of Fe(II) by proton assisted dissolution. The difference in Fe(II)-release between the two experiments is attributed to reductive dissolution of iron oxides and can be quantified using the rate equation J/m₀ = k′(m/m₀)^γ, where J is the overall rate of dissolution (mol s⁻¹), m₀ the initial amount of iron oxide, k′ a rate constant (s⁻¹), m/m₀ the proportion of undissolved mineral and γ a parameter describing the change in reaction rate over time. In the Rømø aquifer, Denmark, the reduction of iron oxides is an important electron accepting process for organic matter degradation and is reflected by the steep increase in aqueous Fe²⁺ over depth. Sediment from the Rømø aquifer was used for reductive dissolution experiments with ascorbic acid. The rate parameters describing the reactivity of iron oxides in the sediment are in the range k′ = 7·10⁻⁶ to 1·10⁻³ s⁻¹ and γ = 1 to 2.4. These values are intermediate between a synthetic 2-line ferrihydrite and a goethite. The rate constant increases by two orders of magnitude over depth suggesting an increase in iron oxide reactivity with depth. This increase was not captured by traditional oxalate and dithionite extractions.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of the orthoclase (0 0 1)- and (0 1 0)-water interfaces

Molecular dynamics simulations of water in contact with the (0 0 1) and (0 1 0) surfaces of orthoclase (KAlSi₃O₈) were carried out to investigate the structure and dynamics of the feldspar-water interface, contrast the intrinsic structural properties of the two surfaces, and provide a basis for future work on the diffusion of ions and molecules in microscopic mineral fractures. Electron density profiles were computed from the molecular dynamics trajectories and compared with those derived experimentally from high-resolution X-ray reflectivity measurements by Fenter and co-workers [Fenter P., Cheng L., Park C., Zhang H. and Sturchio N. C. (2003a) Structure of the orthoclase (0 0 1)- and (0 1 0)-water interfaces by high-resolution X-ray reflectivity. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta67, 4267-4275]. For each surface, three scenarios were considered whereby the interfacial species is potassium, water, or a hydronium ion. Excellent agreement was obtained for the (0 0 1) surface when potassium is the predominant interfacial species; however, some discrepancies in the position of the interfacial peaks were obtained for the (0 1 0) surface. The two surfaces showed similarities in the extent of water ordering at the interface, the activation energies for water and potassium desorption, and the adsorption localization of interfacial species. However, there are also important differences between the two surfaces in the coordination of a given adsorbed species, adsorption site densities, and the propensity for water molecules in surface cavities and those in the first hydration layer to coordinate to surface bridging oxygen atoms. These differences may have implications for the extent of dissolution in the low-pH regime since hydrolysis of Si(Al)OSi(Al) bonds is a major dissolution mechanism.     

Adsorption of Rb and Sr at the orthoclase (0 0 1)-solution interface

Adsorption of Rb⁺ and Sr²⁺ at the orthoclase (0 0 1)-solution interface is probed with high-resolution X-ray reflectivity and resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity. Specular X-ray reflectivity data for orthoclase in contact with 0.01 m RbCl solution at pH 5.5 reveal a systematic increase in electron density adjacent to the mineral surface with respect to that observed in contact with de-ionized water (DIW). Quantitative analysis indicates that Rb⁺ adsorbs at a height of 0.83 ± 0.03 Å with respect to the bulk K⁺ site with a nominal coverage of 0.72 ± 0.10 ions per surface unit mesh (55.7 Å²). These results are consistent with an ion-exchange reaction in which Rb⁺ occupies an inner-sphere adsorption (IS) site. In contrast, X-ray reflectivity data for orthoclase in contact with 0.01 m Sr(NO₃)₂ solution at pH 5.3 reveal few significant changes with respect to DIW. Resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity was used to probe Sr²⁺ adsorption and to image its vertical distribution. This element-specific measurement reveals that Sr²⁺ adsorbs with a total coverage of 0.37 ± 0.02 ions per surface unit mesh, at a substantially larger height (3.28 ± 0.05 Å) than found for Rb⁺, and with a relatively broad density distribution (having a root-mean-square width of 1.88 ± 0.08 Å for a single-peak model), implying that Sr²⁺ adsorbs primarily as a fully-hydrated outer-sphere (OS), species. Comparison to a two-height model suggests that 13 ± 5% of the adsorbed Sr²⁺ may be present as an IS species. This partitioning implies a ∼5 kJ/mol difference in free energy between the IS and OS Sr²⁺ on orthoclase. Differences in the partitioning of Sr²⁺ between IS and OS species for orthoclase (0 0 1) and muscovite (0 0 1) suggest control by the geometry of the IS adsorption site. Results for the OS distribution are compared to predictions of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation in the strong coupling regime, which predicts an intrinsically narrow vertical diffuse ion distribution; the OS distribution might thus be thought of as the diffuse ion profile in the limit of high surface charge.     

Holographic interferometry study of the dissolution and diffusion of gypsum in water

We have performed holographic interferometry measurements of the dissolution of the (0 1 0) plane of a cleaved gypsum single crystal in pure water. These experiments have provided the value of the dissolution rate constant k of gypsum in water and the value of the interdiffusion coefficient D of its aqueous species in water. D is 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ m² s⁻¹, a value close to the theoretical value generally used in dissolution studies. k is 4 × 10⁻⁵ mol m⁻² s⁻¹. It directly characterizes the microscopic transfer rate at the solid-liquid interface, and is not an averaged value deduced from quantities measured far from the surface as in macroscopic dissolution experiments. It is found to be two times lower than the value obtained from macroscopic experiments.     

Solubility of plutonium(VI) carbonate in saline solutions

Among the plutonium oxidation states found to form in the environment, mobile plutonium(VI) can exist under oxidizing conditions and in waters with high chloride content due to radiolysis effects. We are investigating the solubility and speciation of plutonium(VI) carbonate under conditions relevant to natural waters and brines such as those found near some geologic radioactive waste repositories. The solid Pu(VI) phase PuO₂CO₃(s) was prepared and its solubility was measured in NaCl and NaClO₄ solutions in a CO₂ atmosphere as a function of pH and ionic strength (0.1-5.6 m). The concentration of soluble plutonium in solution was calculated from spectroscopic data and liquid scintillation counting. Spectroscopic measurements also revealed the plutonium oxidation state. The apparent solubility product of PuO₂CO₃(s) was determined at selected electrolyte concentrations to be, log K_s,0 = −13.95 ± 0.07 (0.1 m NaCl), log K_s,0 = −14.07 ± 0.13 (5.6 m NaCl), and log K_s,0 = −15.26 ± 0.11 (5.6 m NaClO₄). Specific ion interaction theory was used to calculate the solubility product at zero ionic strength, .     

Phthalic acid complexation and the dissolution of forsteritic glass studied via in situ FTIR and X-ray scattering

Multiple Internal Reflection Fourier Transform Infra-Red (MIR-FTIR) spectroscopy was developed and used for in situ flow-through experiments designed to study the process of organic acid promoted silicate dissolution. In tandem with the FTIR analysis, ex situ X-ray scattering was used to perform detailed analyses of the changes in the surface structure and chemistry resulting from the dissolution process. Phthalic acid and forsteritic glass that had been Chemically Vapour Deposited (CVD) onto an internal reflection element were used as reactants, and the MIR-FTIR results showed that phthalic acid may promote dissolution by directly binding to exposed Mg metal ion centers on the solid surface. Integrated infrared absorption intensity as a function of time shows that phthalic acid attachment apparently follows a t^1/2 dependence, indicating that attachment is a diffusive process. The diffusion coefficient of phthalic acid was estimated to be approximately 7 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ in the solution near the interface with the glass. Shifts in the infrared absorption structure of the phthalate complexed with the surface compared to the solute species indicate that phthalate forms a seven-membered ring chelate complex. This bidentate complex efficiently depletes Mg from the glass surface, such that after reaction as much as 95% of the Mg may be removed. Surface depletion in Mg causes adsorbate density to fall after an initial attachment stage for the organic ligand. In addition, the infrared analysis shows that silica in the near surface polymerizes after Mg removal, presumably to maintain charge balance. X-ray reflectivity shows that the dissolution rate of forsteritic glass at pH 4 based on Mg removal in such flow-through experiments was equal to 4 × 10⁻¹² mol cm⁻² s⁻¹ (geometric surface area normalized). Reflectivity also shows how the surface mass density decreases during reaction from 2.64 g cm⁻³ to 2.2 g cm⁻³, consistent with preferential loss of Mg from the surface. Auxiliary batch experiments with forsteritic glass films deposited onto soda glass were also completed to add further constraints to the mechanism of reaction. By combining reflectivity with diffuse scatter measurements it is shown that the primary interface changes little in terms of atomic-scale roughness even after removal of several hundred angstroms of material. These measurements unequivocally show how a dicarboxylic acid bonds to and may chelate the dissolution of a magnesium-bearing silicate. At the molecular level the solid surface retreat may best be described by a depinning model where Mg is preferentially removed and residual silica tetrahedra polymerize and act to episodically “pin” the surface.     

Dissolution of illite in saline-acidic solutions at 25 °C

The dissolution rate of illite, a common clay mineral in Australian soils, was studied in saline-acidic solutions under far from equilibrium conditions. The clay fraction of Na-saturated Silver Hill illite (K_1.38Na_0.05)(Al_2.87Mg_0.46Fe³⁺_0.39Fe²⁺_0.28Ti_0.07)[Si_7.02Al_0.98]O₂₀(OH)₄ was used for this study. The dissolution rates were measured using flow-through reactors at 25 ± 1 °C, solution pH range of 1.0-4.25 (H₂SO₄) and at two ionic strengths (0.01 and 0.25 M) maintained using NaCl solution. Illite dissolution rates were calculated from the steady state release rates of Al and Si. The dissolution stoichiometry was determined from Al/Si, K/Si, Mg/Si and Fe/Si ratios. The release rates of cations were highly incongruent during the initial stage of experiments, with a preferential release of Al and K over Si in majority of the experiments. An Al/Si ratio >1 was observed at pH 2 and 3 while a ratio close to the stoichiometric composition was observed at pH 1 and 4 at the higher ionic strength. A relatively higher K⁺ release rate was observed at I = 0.25 in 2-4 pH range than at I = 0.01, possibly due to ion exchange reaction between Na⁺ from the solution and K⁺ from interlayer sites of illite. The steady state release rates of K, Fe and Mg were higher than Si over the entire pH range investigated in the study. From the point of view of the dominant structural cations (Si and Al), stoichiometric dissolution of illite occurred at pH 1-4 in the higher ionic strength experiments and at pH ?3 for the lower ionic strength experiments. The experiment at pH 4.25 and at the lower ionic strength exhibited lower R_Al (dissolution rate calculated from steady state Al release) than R_Si (dissolution rate calculated from steady state Si release), possibly due to the adsorption of dissolved Al as the output solutions were undersaturated with respect to gibbsite. The dissolution of illite appears to proceed with the removal of interlayer K followed by the dissolution of octahedral cations (Fe, Mg and Al), the dissolution of Si is the limiting step in the illite dissolution process. A dissolution rate law showing the dependence of illite dissolution rate on proton concentration in the acid-sulfate solutions was derived from the steady state dissolution rates and can be used in predicting the impact of illite dissolution in saline acid-sulfate environments. The fractional reaction orders of 0.32 (I = 0.25) and 0.36 (I = 0.01) obtained in the study for illite dissolution are similar to the values reported for smectite. The dissolution rate of illite is mainly controlled by solution pH and no effect of ionic strength was observed on the dissolution rates.     

Competitive adsorption of strontium and fulvic acid at the muscovite-solution interface observed with resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity

Molecular-scale distributions of Sr²⁺ and fulvic acid (FA) adsorbed on the muscovite (0 0 1) surface were investigated using in situ specular X-ray reflectivity (XR) and resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity (RAXR). The total amount of Sr²⁺ adsorbed from a 1 × 10⁻² mol/kg SrCl₂ and 100 mg/kg Elliott Soil Fulvic Acid II (ESFA II) solution at pH 5.5 compensated 81 ± 5% of the muscovite surface charge, less than previously measured (118 ± 5%) in an ESFA II-free solution with the same Sr concentration and pH. Inner-sphere (IS) and outer-sphere (OS) Sr²⁺ constituted 87% of the total adsorbed species in IS:OS proportions of 19:81 compared to 42:58 in the solution without FA, suggesting that adsorbed FA competes with the IS Sr²⁺ for surface sites. The coverage of both IS and OS Sr²⁺ decreased even more in a pH 3.5 solution containing the same concentration of FA and 0.5 × 10⁻² mol/kg Sr(NO₃)₂, whereas a significant amount of Sr²⁺ accumulated farther from the surface in the FA layer. The amount of Sr²⁺ incorporated in the ∼10 Å thick FA layer decreased by 79% with decreasing FA concentration (100 → 1 mg/kg) and increasing Sr²⁺ concentration (0.5 × 10⁻² → 1 × 10⁻² mol/kg) and pH (3.5 → 3.6). These results indicate not only that adsorbed FA molecules (and perhaps also H₃O⁺) displace Sr²⁺ near the muscovite surface, but also that the sorbed FA film provides binding sites for additional Sr²⁺ away from the surface. When a muscovite crystal pre-coated with FA after reaction in a 100 mg/kg ESFA II solution for 50 h was subsequently reacted with a 0.5 × 10⁻² mol/kg Sr(NO₃)₂ and 100 mg/kg ESFA II solution at pH 3.7, a significant fraction of Sr²⁺ was distributed in the outer part of the FA film similar to that observed on fresh muscovite reacted at pH 3.5 with a pre-mixed Sr-FA solution at the same concentrations. However, this Sr²⁺ sorbed in the pre-adsorbed organic film was more widely distributed and had a lower coverage, suggesting that pre-sorbed FA may undergo fractionation and/or conformational changes that diminish its capacity, and that of the muscovite (0 0 1) surface, for adsorbing the aqueous Sr cation.     

Solubilities of corundum, wollastonite and quartz in H2O-NaCl solutions at 800 °C and 10 kbar: Interaction of simple minerals with brines at high pressure and temperature

Solubilities of corundum (Al₂O₃) and wollastonite (CaSiO₃) were measured in H₂O-NaCl solutions at 800 °C and 10 kbar and NaCl concentrations up to halite saturation by weight-loss methods. Additional data on quartz solubility at a single NaCl concentration were obtained as a supplement to previous work. Single crystals of synthetic corundum, natural wollastonite or natural quartz were equilibrated with H₂O and NaCl at pressure (P) and temperature (T) in a piston-cylinder apparatus with NaCl pressure medium and graphite heater sleeves. The three minerals show fundamentally different dissolution behavior. Corundum solubility undergoes large enhancement with NaCl concentration, rising rapidly from Al₂O₃ molality (m_Al2O3) of 0.0013(1) (1σ error) in pure H₂O and then leveling off to a maximum of ∼0.015 at halite saturation (X_NaCl ≈ 0.58, where X is mole fraction). Solubility enhancement relative to that in pure H₂O, , passes through a maximum at X_NaCl ≈ 0.15 and then declines towards halite saturation. Quenched fluids have neutral pH at 25 °C. Wollastonite has low solubility in pure H₂O at this P and T(m_CaSiO3=0.0167(6)). It undergoes great enhancement, with a maximum solubility relative to that in H₂O at X_NaCl ≈ 0.33, and solubility >0.5 molal at halite saturation. Solute silica is 2.5 times higher than at quartz saturation in the system H₂O-NaCl-SiO₂, and quenched fluids are very basic (pH 11). Quartz shows monotonically decreasing solubility from m_SiO2=1.248 in pure H₂O to 0.202 at halite saturation. Quenched fluids are pH neutral. A simple ideal-mixing model for quartz-saturated solutions that requires as input only the solubility and speciation of silica in pure H₂O reproduces the data and indicates that hydrogen bonding of molecular H₂O to dissolved silica species is thermodynamically negligible. The maxima in for corundum and wollastonite indicate that the solute products include hydrates and Na⁺ and/or Cl⁻ species produced by molar ratios of reactant H₂O to NaCl of 6:1 and 2:1, respectively. Our results imply that quite simple mechanisms may exist in the dissolution of common rock-forming minerals in saline fluids at high P and T and allow assessment of the interaction of simple, congruently soluble rock-forming minerals with brines associated with deep-crustal metamorphism.     

Cation sorption on the muscovite (0 0 1) surface in chloride solutions using high-resolution X-ray reflectivity

The structure and mechanism of cation sorption at the (0 0 1) muscovite-water interface were investigated in 0.01 and 0.5 m KCl, CsCl, and CaCl₂ and 0.01 m BaCl₂ solutions at slightly acidic pH by high-resolution X-ray reflectivity. Structural relaxations of atom positions in the 2M₁ muscovite were small (?0.07 Å) and occurred over a distance of 30 to 40 Å perpendicular to the interface. Cations in all solutions were sorbed dominantly in the first and second solution layers adjacent to the mineral surface. The derived heights of the first solution layer in KCl and CsCl solutions, 1.67(6)-1.77(7) and 2.15(9)-2.16(2) Å, respectively, differ in magnitude by the approximate difference in crystallographic radii between K and Cs, and correspond closely to the interlayer cation positions in bulk K- and Cs-mica structures. The first solution layer heights in CaCl₂ and BaCl₂ solutions, 2.46(5)-2.56(11) and 2.02(5) Å, respectively, differ in a sense opposite to that expected based on crystallographic or hydrated radii of the divalent cations. The derived ion heights in all solutions imply that there is no intercalated water layer between the first solution layer and the muscovite surface. Molecular compositions were assigned to the first two solution layers in the electron density profiles using models that constrain the number density of sorbed cations, water molecules, and anions by considering the permanent negative charge of the muscovite and average solution density. The models result in partial charge balance (at least 50%) by cations sorbed in the first two layers in the 0.01 m solutions and approximately full charge balance in the 0.5 m solutions. Damped oscillations of model water density away from the first two solution layers agree with previous X-ray reflectivity results on the muscovite (0 0 1) surface in pure water.     

Investigation of acidic dissolution of mixed clays between pH 1.0 and −3.0 using Si and Al X-ray absorption near edge structure

Although widely investigated in relation to acid mine drainage systems at pH > 1.0, we know little about the impact of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) on the geochemistry and mineralogy of clays at pH < 1.0 (including negative pH values). Thus, laboratory batch experiments were conducted on three mixed clay samples with different mass ratios of phyllosilicates (smectite, illite, and kaolinite) to investigate the impact of H₂SO₄ from pH 1.0 to −3.0 for exposure periods of 14, 90, 180, and 365 days. Si and Al K- and L_2,3-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy were employed on these samples to determine the chemical and structural changes that occur during acidic dissolution of phyllosilicates that cannot be distinguished using X-ray diffraction analyses. A series of silicate, phyllosilicate, and Al-bearing standard compounds were also studied to provide an explanation for the observed changes in the clay samples. The Si XANES results indicated the preferential dissolution of the phyllosilicates (pH ? 1.0, t ? 14 d), the persistence of quartz even at pH ? −3.0 and t ? 365 d, and the formation of an amorphous silica-like phase that was confined to the surface layer of the altered clay samples at pH ? 0.0 and t ? 90 d). Al XANES results demonstrated dissolution of Al-octahedral layers (pH ? 1.0, t ? 14 d), the persistence of four-fold relative to six-fold coordinated Al, and the precipitation of an Al-SO₄-rich phase (pH ? −1.0, t ? 90 d). An existing conceptual model of phyllosilicate dissolution under extremely acidic conditions was modified to include the results of this study.     

Distribution of barium and fulvic acid at the mica-solution interface using in-situ X-ray reflectivity

The interfacial structures of the basal surface of muscovite mica in solutions containing (1) 5 × 10⁻³ m BaCl₂, (2) 500 ppm Elliott Soil Fulvic Acid I (ESFA I), (3) 100 ppm Elliott Soil Fulvic Acid II (ESFA II), (4) 100 ppm Pahokee Peat Fulvic Acid I (PPFA), and (5) 5 × 10⁻³ m BaCl₂ and 100 ppm ESFA II were obtained with high resolution in-situ X-ray reflectivity. The derived electron-density profile in BaCl₂ shows two sharp peaks near the mica surface at 1.98(2) and 3.02(4) Å corresponding to the heights of a mixture of Ba²⁺ ions and water molecules adsorbed in ditrigonal cavities and water molecules coordinated to the Ba²⁺ ions, respectively. This pattern indicates that most Ba²⁺ ions are adsorbed on the mica surface as inner-sphere complexes in a partially hydrated form. The amount of Ba²⁺ ions in the ditrigonal cavities compensates more than 90% of the layer charge of the mica surface. The electron-density profiles of the fulvic acids (FAs) adsorbed on the mica surface, in the absence of Ba²⁺, had overall thicknesses of 4.9-10.8 Å and consisted of one broad taller peak near the surface (likely hydrophobic and positively-charged groups) followed by a broad humped pattern (possibly containing negatively-charged functional groups). The total interfacial electron density and thickness of the FA layer increased as the solution FA concentration increased. The sorbed peat FA which has higher ash content showed a higher average electron density than the sorbed soil FA. When the muscovite reacted with a pre-mixed BaCl₂-ESFA II solution, the positions of the two peaks nearest the surface matched those in the BaCl₂ solution. However, the occupancy of the second peak decreased by about 30% implying that the hydration shell of surface-adsorbed Ba²⁺ was partially substituted by FA. The two surface peaks were followed by a broad less electron-dense layer suggesting a sorption mechanism in which Ba²⁺ acts dominantly as a bridging cation between the mica surface and FA. When the muscovite reacted first with FA and subsequently with BaCl₂, more Ba²⁺ could be adsorbed on the FA-coated mica surface. The peak closest to the mica included Ba²⁺ ions adsorbed directly on the mica in an amount similar to that in the BaCl₂ solution but more broadly distributed. A second peak observed within the FA layer suggests that the FA coating provides additional sites for Ba²⁺ sorption. The results indicate that enhanced uptake of heavy metals can occur when an organic coating already exists on a mineral surface.     

Experimental study of terrestrial plant litter interaction with aqueous solutions

Quantification of silicon and calcium recycling by plants is hampered by the lack of physico-chemical data on reactivity of plant litter in soil environments. We applied a laboratory experimental approach for determining the silica and calcium release rates from litter of typical temperate and boreal plants: pine (Pinus laricio), birch (Betula pubescens), larch (Larix gmelinii), elm (Ulmus laevis Pall.), tree fern (Dicksonia squarrosa), and horsetail (Equisetum arvense) in 0.01 M NaCl solutions, pH of 2-10 and temperature equals to 5, 25 and 40 °C. Open system, mixed-flow reactors equipped with dialysis compartment and batch reactors were used. Comparative measurements were performed on intact larch needles and samples grounded during different time, sterilized or not and with addition or not of sodium azide in order to account for the effect of surface to mass ratio and possible microbiological activity on the litter dissolution rates. Litter degradation results suggest that the silica release rate is independent on dissolved organic carbon release (cell breakdown) which implies the presence of phytoliths in a pure “inorganic” pool not complexed with organic matter. Calcium and DOC are released at the very first stage of litter dissolution while Si concentration increases gradually suggesting the presence of Ca and Si in two different pools. The dry-weight normalized dissolution rate at circum-neutral pH range (approx. 1-10 μmol/g_DW/day) is 2 orders of magnitude higher than the rates of Si release from common soil minerals (kaolinite, smectite, illite). Minimal Ca release rates evaluated from batch and mixed-flow reactors are comparable with those of most reactive soil minerals such as calcite and apatite, and several orders of magnitude higher than the dissolution rates of major rock-forming silicates (feldspars, pyroxenes). The activation energy for Si liberation from plant litter is approx. 50 kJ/mol which is comparable with that of surface-controlled mineral dissolutions. It is shown that the Si release rate from the above-ground forest biomass is capable of producing the Si concentrations observed in soil solutions of surficial horizons and contribute significantly to the Si flux from the soil to the river.     

The effect of specific background electrolytes on water structure and solute hydration: Consequences for crystal dissolution and growth

Barium sulfate is used as a model system to illustrate how solution composition can affect processes of crystal dissolution and growth. Rates and modes of reactions as well as morphological features can be modified by the introduction of simple ionic salts (KCl, NaCl, LiCl, CsCl, NaF, NaNO₃), due to the effects of these electrolytes on water structure dynamics and solute hydration. Based on the results of AFM in situ experiments performed at supersaturation (Ω) = 10.6 ± 0.1 and ionic strength (IS) in the range of 0.005-0.1 M we show that growth and dissolution behavior of barite changes under conditions of constant thermodynamic driving force (Ω) and constant IS in a systematic way depending on the specific background electrolyte used to adjust IS. The results are interpreted in terms of the relationships between solution composition, ion properties and the consequent growth and dissolution behavior. Island spreading rate is affected by salt-specific effects on the activation energy barrier of expelling water molecules from solvation shells of barite building units. Dissolution kinetics depends on the balance between the energy expended on breaking solvent structure and the energy gain on hydrating Ba²⁺ and ions, which are specific for different electrolyte solutions. Nucleation rates are determined by the frequency of water exchange around a barium cation which also depends on solution composition. Relating the structure of the solution to its composition can help to understand phenomena such as growth and dissolution in the presence of organic additives or impurity incorporation.     

Does reactive surface area depend on grain size? Results from pH 3, 25 °C far-from-equilibrium flow-through dissolution experiments on anorthite and biotite

Laboratory determined mineral weathering rates need to be normalised to allow their extrapolation to natural systems. The principle normalisation terms used in the literature are mass, and geometric- and BET specific surface area (SSA). The purpose of this study was to determine how dissolution rates normalised to these terms vary with grain size. Different size fractions of anorthite and biotite ranging from 180-150 to 20-10 μm were dissolved in pH 3, HCl at 25 °C in flow through reactors under far from equilibrium conditions. Steady state dissolution rates after 5376 h (anorthite) and 4992 h (biotite) were calculated from Si concentrations and were normalised to initial- and final- mass and geometric-, geometric edge- (biotite), and BET SSA. For anorthite, rates normalised to initial- and final-BET SSA ranged from 0.33 to 2.77 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol_feldspar m⁻² s⁻¹, rates normalised to initial- and final-geometric SSA ranged from 5.74 to 8.88 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol_feldspar m⁻² s⁻¹ and rates normalised to initial- and final-mass ranged from 0.11 to 1.65 mol_feldspar g⁻¹ s⁻¹. For biotite, rates normalised to initial- and final-BET SSA ranged from 1.02 to 2.03 × 10⁻¹² mol_biotite m⁻² s⁻¹, rates normalised to initial- and final-geometric SSA ranged from 3.26 to 16.21 × 10⁻¹² mol_biotite m⁻² s⁻¹, rates normalised to initial- and final-geometric edge SSA ranged from 59.46 to 111.32 × 10⁻¹² mol_biotite m⁻² s⁻¹ and rates normalised to initial- and final-mass ranged from 0.81 to 6.93 × 10⁻¹² mol_biotite g⁻¹ s⁻¹. For all normalising terms rates varied significantly (p ? 0.05) with grain size. The normalising terms which gave least variation in dissolution rate between grain sizes for anorthite were initial BET SSA and initial- and final-geometric SSA. This is consistent with: (1) dissolution being dominated by the slower dissolving but area dominant non-etched surfaces of the grains and, (2) the walls of etch pits and other dissolution features being relatively unreactive. These steady state normalised dissolution rates are likely to be constant with time. Normalisation to final BET SSA did not give constant ratios across grain size due to a non-uniform distribution of dissolution features. After dissolution coarser grains had a greater density of dissolution features with BET-measurable but unreactive wall surface area than the finer grains. The normalising term which gave the least variation in dissolution rates between grain sizes for biotite was initial BET SSA. Initial- and final-geometric edge SSA and final BET SSA gave the next least varied rates. The basal surfaces dissolved sufficiently rapidly to influence bulk dissolution rate and prevent geometric edge SSA normalised dissolution rates showing the least variation. Simple modelling indicated that biotite grain edges dissolved 71-132 times faster than basal surfaces. In this experiment, initial BET SSA best integrated the different areas and reactivities of the edge and basal surfaces of biotite. Steady state dissolution rates are likely to vary with time as dissolution alters the ratio of edge to basal surface area. Therefore they would be more properly termed pseudo-steady state rates, only appearing constant because the time period over which they were measured (1512 h) was less than the time period over which they would change significantly.     

Spectroscopic measurements of the pH in NaCl brines

Spectrophotometric measurements of the pH in natural waters such as seawater have been shown to yield precise results. In this paper, the sulfonephthalein indicator m-cresol purple (mCP, H₂I) has been used to determine the pH of NaCl brines. The indicator has been calibrated in NaCl solutions from 5 to 45 °C and ionic strengths from 0.03 to 5.5 m. The calibrations were made using TRIS buffers (0.03 m, TRIS/TRIS-HCl) with known dissociation constants pK_TRIS in NaCl solutions [Foti C., Rigano C. and Sammartano S. (1999) Analysis of thermodynamic data for complex formation: protonation of THAM and fluoride ion at different temperatures and ionic strength. Ann. Chim. 89, 1-12]. The values of pH were determined from

pH=pK_mCP+log{(R-e₁)/(e₂-Re₃)}     

Dissolution and carbonation of a serpentinite: Inferences from acid attack and high P-T experiments performed in aqueous solutions at variable salinity

Dissolution experiments on a serpentinite were performed at 70 °C, 0.1 MPa, in H₂SO₄ solution, in open and closed systems, in order to evaluate the overall dissolution rate of mineral components over different times (4, 9 and 24 h). In addition, the serpentinite powder was reacted with a NaCl-bearing aqueous solution and supercritical CO₂ for 24 h at higher pressures (9-30 MPa) and temperatures (250-300 °C) either in a stirred reactor or in an externally-heated pressure vessel to assess both the dissolution rate of serpentinite minerals and the progress of the carbonation reaction. Results show that, at 0.1 MPa, MgO extraction from serpentinite ranges from 82% to 98% and dissolution rate varies from 8.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ mole m⁻² s⁻¹ to 4.2 × 10⁻⁹ mole m⁻² s⁻¹. Attempts to obtain carbonates from the Mg-rich solutions by increasing their pH failed since Mg- and NH₄- bearing sulfates promptly precipitated. On the other hand, at higher pressures, significant crystallization (5.0-10.4 wt%) of Ca- and Fe-bearing magnesite was accomplished at 30 MPa and 300 °C using 100 g L⁻¹ NaCl aqueous solutions. The corresponding amount of CO₂ sequestered by crystallization of carbonates is 9.4-15.9 mole%. Dissolution rate (from 6.3 × 10⁻¹¹ mole m⁻² s⁻¹ to 1.3 × 10⁻¹⁰ mole m⁻² s⁻¹) is lower than that obtained at 0.1 MPa and 70 °C but it is related to pH values much higher (3.3-4.4) than that (−0.65) calculated for the H₂SO₄ solution.Through a thorough review of previous experimental investigations on the dissolution kinetics of serpentine minerals the authors propose adopting: (i) the log rate [mole m⁻² s⁻¹] value of −12.08 ± 0.16 (1σ), as representative of the neutral dissolution mechanism at 25 °C and (ii) the following relationship for the acidic dissolution mechanism at 25 °C:

log rate=-0.45(±0.09)×pH-10.01(±0.30).     

Radium uptake during barite recrystallization at 23 ± 2 °C as a function of solution composition: An experimental Ba and Ra tracer study

High-purity synthetic barite powder was added to pure water or aqueous solutions of soluble salts (BaCl₂, Na₂SO₄, NaCl and NaHCO₃) at 23 ± 2 °C and atmospheric pressure. After a short pre-equilibration time (4 h) the suspensions were spiked either with ¹³³Ba or ²²⁶Ra and reacted under constant agitation during 120-406 days. The pH values ranged from 4 to 8 and solid to liquid (S/L) ratios varied from 0.01 to 5 g/l. The uptake of the radiotracers by barite was monitored through repeated sampling of the aqueous solutions and radiometric analysis. For both ¹³³Ba and ²²⁶Ra, our data consistently showed a continuous, slow decrease of radioactivity in the aqueous phase.Mass balance calculations indicated that the removal of ¹³³Ba activity from aqueous solution cannot be explained by surface adsorption only, as it largely exceeded the 100% monolayer coverage limit. This result was a strong argument in favor of recrystallization (driven by a dissolution-precipitation mechanism) as the main uptake mechanism. Because complete isotopic equilibration between aqueous solution and barite was approached or even reached in some experiments, we concluded that during the reaction all or substantial fractions of the initial solid had been replaced by newly formed barite.The ¹³³Ba data could be successfully fitted assuming constant recrystallization rates and homogeneous distribution of the tracer into the newly formed barite. An alternative model based on partial equilibrium of ¹³³Ba with the mineral surface (without internal isotopic equilibration of the solid) could not reproduce the measured activity data, unless multistage recrystallization kinetics was assumed. Calculated recrystallization rates in the salt solutions ranged from 2.8 × 10⁻¹¹ to 1.9 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol m⁻² s⁻¹ (2.4-16 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹), with no specific trend related to solution composition. For the suspensions prepared in pure water, significantly higher rates (∼5.7 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol m⁻² s⁻¹ or ∼49 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹) were determined.Radium uptake by barite was determined by monitoring the decrease of ²²⁶Ra activity in the aqueous solution with alpha spectrometry, after filtration of the suspensions and sintering. The evaluation of the Ra uptake experiments, in conjunction with the recrystallization data, consistently indicated formation of non-ideal solid solutions, with moderately high Margules parameters (W_AB = 3720-6200 J/mol, a₀ = 1.5-2.5). These parameters are significantly larger than an estimated value from the literature (W_AB = 1240 J/mol, a₀ = 0.5).In conclusion, our results confirm that radium forms solid solutions with barite at fast kinetic rates and in complete thermodynamic equilibrium with the aqueous solutions. Moreover, this study provides quantitative thermodynamic data that can be used for the calculation of radium concentration limits in environmentally relevant systems, such as radioactive waste repositories and uranium mill tailings.     

Experimental superheating of water and aqueous solutions

The metastable superheated solutions are liquids in transitory thermodynamic equilibrium inside the stability domain of their vapor (whatever the temperature is). Some natural contexts should allow the superheating of natural aqueous solutions, like the soil capillarity (low T superheating), certain continental and submarine geysers (high T superheating), or even the water state in very arid environments like the Mars subsurface (low T) or the deep crustal rocks (high T). The present paper reports experimental measurements on the superheating range of aqueous solutions contained in quartz as fluid inclusions (Synthetic Fluid Inclusion Technique, SFIT) and brought to superheating state by isochoric cooling. About 40 samples were synthetized at 0.75 GPa and 530-700 °C with internally-heated autoclaves. Nine hundred and sixty-seven inclusions were studied by micro-thermometry, including measuring the temperatures of homogenization (Th: L + V → L) and vapor bubbles nucleation (Tn: L → L + V). The Th-Tn difference corresponds to the intensity of superheating that the trapped liquid can undergo and can be translated into liquid pressure (existing just before nucleation occurs at Tn) by an equation of state. Pure water (840-935 kg m⁻³), dilute NaOH solutions (0.1 and 0.5 mol kg⁻¹), NaCl, CaCl₂ and CsCl solutions (1 and 5 mol kg⁻¹) demonstrated a surprising ability to undergo tensile stress. The highest tension ever recorded to the best of our knowledge (−146 MPa, 100 °C) is attained in a 5 m CaCl₂ inclusion trapped in quartz matrix, while CsCl solutions qualitatively show still better superheating efficiency. These observations are discussed with regards to the quality of the inner surface of inclusion surfaces (high P-T synthesis conditions) and to the intrinsic cohesion of liquids (thermodynamic and kinetic spinodal). This study demonstrates that natural solutions can reach high levels of superheating, that are accompanied by strong changes of their physico-chemical properties.