Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00342
Modelling redox transformations of heavy metals and radionuclides at mineral surfaces.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor I Hillier, The University of Manchester, Chemistry
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor DJ Vaughan, The University of Manchester, Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor F Livens, The University of Manchester, Chemistry
- Grant held at:
- The University of Manchester, Chemistry
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Marine
- Freshwater
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Pollution and Waste
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Pollution
- Environment & Health
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Properties Of Earth Materials
- Abstract:
- The potential impact of the release of toxic metals (including radionuclides) into the environment, whether associated with pollution or unsafe disposal of hazardous wastes, is largely governed by the movement of the contaminant metals in natural waters. Their mobilities are largely governed by reactions with mineral surfaces ; if the contaminant has a strong affinity for a surface, it will be efficiently removed from solution and will be less mobile. So, in trying to predict environmental impact, it is important to understand the extent and nature of reaction of these contaminants with mineral surfaces. The approaches now used for making these predictions include only a crude description of pollutant-mineral interaction. In particular, one class of commonly found mineral surface (a 'redox active' surface) which is not considered in current predictive methods, is capable of causing major chemical transformations of the pollutants resulting in large changes in the degree of reaction with the surface. Potentially, this problem could be overcome by studying all possible reactions experimentally; however, this is virtually impossible because such work is both slow and costly, and there are literally millions of possible experiments. What we want to do in this project is to develop a computer model which can be used to predict the outcome of these reactions. We will analyse existing experimental data using state-of-the-art computer modelling to identify the key features of such pollutant-mineral reactions, then, based on this understanding, develop a simpler model which encapsulates these features and can be used to make soundly-based predictions. We aim to make this simpler model, and the data which underpin it, freely available via the Web to anyone who wants to use it, including other academics, regulators, government and industry.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00342
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £208,405
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £108,326 | £5,045 | £5,254 | £39,950 | £49,831 |
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