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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Catalytic redox reactions of inorganic species in aquatic environments

Conference ·
OSTI ID:126340
;  [1]
  1. Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)
Subsurface environments contain inorganic and organic constituents that serve as stoichiometric oxidants and reductants towards metal pollutants. Equally important, subsurface environments contain dissolved metal ions and metal-containing mineral surfaces that can catalyze these redox reactions. Catalysis can arise from a number of mechanisms: (i) Metal coordination to one of the reactants may increase its reactivity; (ii) Metal coordination to both reactants may facilitate encounter and subsequent electron transfer; (iii) Redox-active metals may serve as electron shuttles between reductant and oxidant. To illustrate these mechanisms, the reduction of hexavalent chromium by organic reductants will be discussed. Under the conditions found in soils and aquifer sediments, rates of dissolved metal ion and surface-catalyzed chromium reduction may equal or surpass rates of uncatalyzed reaction.
OSTI ID:
126340
Report Number(s):
CONF-950402--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English