Probing the binding properties of aquifer materials through the luminescence of the Eu(III) probe ions

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:191731

Azarraga, L V ^[1]

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1. Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens, GA (United States)

Luminescence from 7F0{l_arrow}5D0, 7F1{l_arrow}5D0 and 7F2{l_arrow}5D0 transitions of Eu(111) is used to probe the binding properties of natural, heterogeneous aggregate materials exemplified by sediments, soils, and aquifer materials. The 5D0{l_arrow}7F2 transition is hypersensitive. It gains intensity when the ion is bound. The emission intensities due to the free and bound Eu(III) ions and the changes in the position of the transitions are useful for studying the binding strength, the concentration of binding sites and the competition for the binding sites between the probe ion and other ions. Discrete spectral titration of a number of aquifer materials shows that in spite of the differences in their mineral and chemical compositions, they appear to have similar metal ion binding properties. This seems to suggest that surface properties of these natural aggregates are largely extrinsic in character and may bear no relationship to the surface properties of the mineral components of these materials. These properties are probably the result of the accumulation on the solid surfaces over a long period of time, of air- and water-borne substances including those that may be produced by hydrolysis, redox, and precipitation reactions and the process of aggregation and disaggregation in the environment.

• OSTI ID: 191731
• Report Number(s): CONF-941098--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
EUROPIUM
LUMINESCENCE
SEDIMENTS
SOILS