Asymptotically Approaching the Truth:
A New Single-Phase Structure Model for Ferrihydrite
1 F.
M. Michel, 1 L. Ehm, 2 S. M. Antao, 2 P. J. Chupas, 3 D. R. Strongin, 1 J. B. Parise
1 Department
of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
3 Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
2 Advanced
Photo by: Joe Zambelli
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Ferrihydrite is a poorly crystalline
mineral that commonly occurs as a
reddish-orange precipitate in streams
and groundwater impacted by acid
mine drainage (AMD). AMD destroys
aquatic life and makes water unfit for
human consumption and other uses.
Individual particles of ferrihydrite
only form with particle sizes less
than 10 nm which results in an
enormous amount of reactive surface
area. These surfaces are known to
scavenge contaminants such as
arsenic, chromium, zinc, etc. and
therefore this phase is important in
controlling their fate and transport in
the environment.
Presented in:
Complementary Techniques for Resolving the Structure of
Environmentally-Significant Poorly Crystalline
and Polycrystalline Materials
233rd Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, IL, USA
A team of scientists
from Stony Brook
University and Temple
University, in
collaboration with
researchers at Argonne
National Laboratory,
have finally resolved the
structure of ferrihydrite
using high-energy X-ray
total scattering.
The new structure
represents the 3dimensional arrangement of
atoms and is essential to
understanding the behavior
of this nano-sized iron
phase in the environment.
Michel et al., 2007, Science, 316, 1726-1729.
Michel et al., Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 1489-1496.
Organizers:
F. Marc Michel, Dept. of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA 11794
Liane G. Benning, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK LS2 9JT
Sytle M. Antao, APS, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA 60439
Peter J. Chupas, APS, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA 60439