Expanding Perspectives of Element Cycling from 1970 to 2020: The Influence of Stumm and Morgan.

There has been significant advancement in understanding of element cycles over the past 50 years, and the contributions of the three editions of by Stumm and Morgan on the critical role of reactions in the aqueous phase on the global cycles of elements have been substantial. The primary focus of investigation of biogeochemical element cycles has been on the "grand nutrients" carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. The basic chemistry and chemical systems perspective of helped elucidate the cycles of these elements.

Pioneering groundwater contamination investigation, research, and in situ treatment.

The 1972 paper by Professor Jack McKee of the California Institute of Technology, consulting engineer Finley Laverty and Raymond Hertzel of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board-Los Angeles (McKee et al., 1972) was an early, important contribution to the understanding of groundwater contamination with organic liquids and to the integrated use of field, laboratory, and modeling studies to develop remediation approaches. The work presented in the paper was ahead of the curve and helped provide the foundation for the intense research, development, and education in investigation and remediation of groundwater contamination problems that began around 1980 and lasted for two decades.

Water Supply Risk in the United States 2015-2050 Considering Projected Changes in Population and Thermoelectric Power Demand.

Examination of water supply risk is important to identify areas of potential insecurity and prioritize allocation of resources. This work builds on and advances a previous U.S.

Adsorption kinetics, thermodynamics, and isotherm studies for functionalized lanthanide-chelating resins.

Conventional ion exchange resins are widely utilized to remove metals from aqueous solutions, but their limited selectivity precludes dilute ion extraction. This research investigated the adsorption performance of ligand-functionalized resins towards rare earth elements (REE). Functionalized resin particles were synthesized by grafting different ligands (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic dianhydride (DTPADA), phosphonoacetic acid (PAA), or N,N-bis(phosphonomethyl)glycine (BPG)) onto pre-aminated polymeric adsorbents (diameter ∼ 0.

Determination of Rare Earth Elements in Hypersaline Solutions Using Low-Volume, Liquid-Liquid Extraction.

Complex, hypersaline brines-including those coproduced with oil and gas, rejected from desalination technologies, or used as working fluids for geothermal electricity generation-could contain critical materials such as the rare earth elements (REE) in valuable concentrations. Accurate quantitation of these analytes in complex, aqueous matrices is necessary for evaluation and implementation of systems aimed at recovering those critical materials. However, most analytical methods for measuring trace metals have not been validated for highly saline and/or chemically complex brines.

A method for preparation and cleaning of uniformly sized arsenopyrite particles.

Background: The oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals, such as arsenopyrite (FeAsS), is of critical importance in many geochemical systems. A comprehensive understanding of their dissolution rates entails careful preparation of the mineral surface. Measurements of dissolution rates of arsenic from arsenopyrite are dependent on the size and degree of oxidation of its particles, among other factors.

Comparison of alkaline industrial wastes for aqueous mineral carbon sequestration through a parallel reactivity study.

Thirty-one alkaline industrial wastes from a wide range of industrial processes were acquired and screened for application in an aqueous carbon sequestration process. The wastes were evaluated for their potential to leach polyvalent cations and base species. Following mixing with a simple sodium bicarbonate solution, chemistries of the aqueous and solid phases were analyzed.

Rare earth element distributions and trends in natural waters with a focus on groundwater.

Systematically varying properties and reactivities have led to focused research of the environmental forensic capabilities of rare earth elements (REE). Increasing anthropogenic inputs to natural systems may permanently alter the natural signatures of REE, motivating characterization of natural REE variability. We compiled and analyzed reported dissolved REE concentration data over a wide range of natural water types (ground-, ocean, river, and lake water) and groundwater chemistries (e.

Factors governing change in water withdrawals for U.S. industrial sectors from 1997 to 2002.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that U.S. water withdrawals have been steady since 1980, but the population and economy have grown since then.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Biological Growth Control by Chlorine-Based Biocides in Power Plant Cooling Systems Using Tertiary Effluent.

Recent studies have shown that treated municipal wastewater can be a reliable cooling water alternative to fresh water. However, elevated nutrient concentration and microbial population in wastewater lead to aggressive biological proliferation in the cooling system. Three chlorine-based biocides were evaluated for the control of biological growth in cooling systems using tertiary treated wastewater as makeup, based on their biocidal efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Control of biological growth in recirculating cooling systems using treated secondary effluent as makeup water with monochloramine.

Secondary-treated municipal wastewater, an abundant and widely distributed impaired water source, is a promising alternative water source for thermoelectric power plant cooling. However, excessive biological growth is a major challenge associated with wastewater reuse in cooling systems as it can interfere with normal system operation as well as enhance corrosion and scaling problems. Furthermore, possible emission of biological aerosols (e.

Mineral scaling mitigation in cooling systems using tertiary-treated municipal wastewater.

Treated municipal wastewater (MWW) is recognized as a significant potential source of cooling water for power generation. One of the key challenges for the successful use of the effluent from wastewater treatment facilities for cooling is the potential for significant mineral scaling when the raw water is concentrated as much as 4-6 times in recirculating cooling systems. Previous bench- and pilot-scale tests have shown that commonly used phosphorus- and polymer- based scaling inhibitors are ineffective when secondary-treated municipal wastewater (MWW) is used as make-up.

Corrosion control when using passively treated abandoned mine drainage as alternative makeup water for cooling systems.

Passively treated abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is a promising alternative to fresh water as power plant cooling water system makeup water in mining regions where such water is abundant. Passive treatment and reuse of AMD can avoid the contamination of surface water caused by discharge of abandoned mine water, which typically is acidic and contains high concentrations of metals, especially iron. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of reusing passively treated AMD in cooling systems with respect to corrosion control through laboratory experiments and pilot-scale field testing.

Escalating water demand for energy production and the potential for use of treated municipal wastewater.

To ensure sufficient thermoelectric power production in the future, the use of alternative water sources to replace freshwater consumption in power plants will be required. The amount of municipal wastewater (MWW) being produced and its widespread availability merit the investigation of this potential source of cooling water. This is particularly important for thermoelectric power plants in regions where freshwater is not readily available.

Corrosion control when using secondary treated municipal wastewater as alternative makeup water for cooling tower systems.

Secondary treated municipal wastewater is a promising alternative to fresh water as power plant cooling water system makeup water, especially in arid regions. Laboratory and field testing was conducted in this study to evaluate the corrosiveness of secondary treated municipal wastewater for various metals and metal alloys in cooling systems. Different corrosion control strategies were evaluated based on varied chemical treatment.

Control of mineral scale deposition in cooling systems using secondary-treated municipal wastewater.

Secondary-treated municipal wastewater (MWW) is a promising alternative to freshwater as power plant cooling system makeup water, especially in arid regions. A prominent challenge for the successful use of MWW for cooling is potentially severe mineral deposition (scaling) on pipe surfaces. In this study, theoretical, laboratory, and field work was conducted to evaluate the mineral deposition potential of MWW and its deposition control strategies under conditions relevant to power plant cooling systems.

CO2 reaction with hydrated class H well cement under geologic sequestration conditions: effects of flyash admixtures.

The rate and mechanism of reaction of pozzolan-amended Class H cement exposed to both supercritical CO2 and CO2-saturated brine were determined under geologic sequestration conditions to assess the potential impact of cement degradation in existing, wells on CO2 storage integrity. The pozzolan additive chosen, Type F flyash, is the most common additive used in cements for well sealing in oil-gas field operations. The 35:65 and 65:35 (v/v) pozzolan-cement blends were exposed to supercritical CO2 and CO2-saturated brine and underwent cement carbonation.

Rate of CO2 attack on hydrated Class H well cement under geologic sequestration conditions.

Experiments were conducted to study the degradation of hardened cement paste due to exposure to CO2 and brine under geologic sequestration conditions (T = 50 degrees C and 30.3 MPa). The goal was to determine the rate of reaction of hydrated cement exposed to supercritical CO2 and to CO2-saturated brine to assess the potential impact of degradation in existing wells on CO2 storage integrity.

A method for generating uniform size-segregated pyrite particle fractions.

Background: Standardized sample preparation techniques allow comparison of pyrite dissolution experiments under diverse conditions. Our objective was to assess dry and wet sieving preparation methodologies, and to develop a reproducible technique that yields uniformly size-distributed material within a limited size range of interest.

Results: Here, we describe a wet sieving preparation method that successfully concentrates pyrite particles within a 44-75 microm diameter range.

Degradation of well cement by CO2 under geologic sequestration conditions.

Experiments were conducted to assess the durability of cements in wells penetrating candidate formations for geologic sequestration of CO2. These experiments showed a significant variation in the initial degradation (9 days of exposure) based on the curing conditions. The high-temperature (50 degrees C) and high-pressure (30.