Event Description
Florence Ling, PhD, LaSalle University
Engineering Crystals for Contaminant Treatment: Tales of
manganese oxides and calcium silicates
The formation
of crystalline solids and their ability to form solid solutions is a process
that can be engineered to handle environmental problems regarding
contamination. For example, manganese oxide precipitation has been used as a
method of removing contaminants through co-precipitation and sorption at acid
mine drainage sites. In addition to
contaminant removal, precipitation can also be used to seal up points of
leakage in areas where contaminants are stored.
For instance, in subsurface reservoirs where CO2 is stored,
the injection and reaction of calcium silicates with CO2 can be used
as an effective method of sealing up leakages in a wellbore to prevent the
release of CO2 out of the reservoir into potable water sources. For
these applications of treating environmental contamination, the crystal
structure of the precipitating solids play a key role in their effectiveness at
contaminant removal or containment.
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