• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.459-467
• /
• 2021

In the majority of countries, the upper limit of buffer temperature in a repository is set to below 100℃ due to the possible illitization. This smectite-to-illite transformation is expected to be detrimental to the swelling functions of the buffer. However, if the upper limit is increased while preventing illitization, the disposal density and cost-effectiveness for the repository will dramatically increase. Thus, understanding the characteristics and creating a database related to the buffer under the elevated temperature conditions is crucial. In this study, a strategy to investigate the bentonite found in Korea under the elevated temperatures from a mineral transformation and radionuclides retardation perspective was proposed. Certain long-term hydrothermal reactions generated the bentonite samples that were utilized for the investigation of their mineral transformation and radionuclide retardation characteristics. The bentonite samples are expected to be studied using in-situ synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) technique to determine the smectite-to-illite transformation. Simultaneously, the 'high-temperature and high-pressure mineral alteration measurement system' based on the Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) will control and provide the elevated temperature and pressure conditions during the measurements. The kinetic models, including the Huang and Cuadros model, are expected to predict the time and manner in which the illitization will become detrimental to the performance and safety of the repository. The sorption reactions planned for the bentonite samples to evaluate the effects on retardation will provide the information required to expand the current knowledge of repository optimization.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 2011

The mineral phases precipitated in the swamp built for the treatment of the mine drainage of the Dalsung Mine were investigated to reveal the mineralogical changes from schwertmannite to goethite and related behavior of heavy metals. Our XRD results show that most schwertmannite were transformed to goethite except the small portions of the samples in the uppermost part. No significant morphological changes were observed in the samples during mineral transformation by SEM, indicating that this transformation process occurred not from dissolution-precipitation process, but in solid state. Among heavy metals sorbed or coprecipitated in the mineral phases, Pb and Cu concentrations were relatively higher compared with their concentrations in the mine drainage. The relative concentrations of other heavy metals show similar values. The heavy metal concentration in the minerals do not show noticeable differences from uppermost schwertmannite to lower goethite samples, indicating the transformation process without any leaching or additional sorption of heavy metals in the solid state.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.301-310
• /
• 2023

Ferrihydrite is an iron oxide mineral that is easily found in the natural environment, including acid mine drainage, and has a low crystallinity and high specific surface area, resulting in high reactivity with other ions, and can remove environmentally hazardous substances. However, because ferrihydrite is a metastable mineral, there is a possibility of releasing adsorbed ions by phase transformation to other minerals having low surface area and high crystallinity. In this study, the adsorption characteristics of arsenate, chromate, and selenate on ferrihydrite and the oxyanion removal efficiency of ferrihydrite were studied considering mineral phase transformation. At both pH 4 and 8, the adsorption of oxyanions used in the study were in good agreement with both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models except for selenate at pH 8. Due to the difference in surface charge according to pH, at pH 4 a higher amount of ions were adsorbed than at pH 8. The adsorption amount were in the order of arsenate, chromate, and selenate. These different adsorption models and adsorption amounts were due to different adsorption mechanisms for each oxyanions on the surface of ferrihydrite. These adsorption characteristics were closely related to changes in the mineral phase. At pH 4, a phase transformation to goethite or hematite was observed, but only a phase transformation to hematite was observed at pH 8. Among the oxyanion species on ferrihydrite, arsenate showed the highest adsorption capacity and hardly caused phase transformation during the experimental period after adsorption. Contrary to this, chromate and selenate showed faster mineral phase transformation than arsenate, and selenate had the lowest retardation effect among the three oxyanions. Ferrihydrite can effectively remove arsenate due to its high adsorption capacity and low phase transformation rate. However, the removal efficiency for other two oxyanions were low by the low adsorption amount and additional mineral phase transformation. For chromate, the efficient removal is expected only at low concentrations in low pH environments.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 1989

The purposes of this study were to find out the heavy metal and antibiotic resistant coliform bacteria from mineral water and the resistant factors. For the experiment, mineral water samples were taken from A area and B area during the period from march to July, 1988. The results of the experiment were as follows 1. From mineral water, eleven resistant coliforms and one susceptible coliform were isolated. 2. All resistant isolates harbored diverse plasmids of ranged ca. 14-54kb. 3. Susceptible coliform harbored a only plasmid of ca. 2.8 kb. 4. All resistant isolates harbored common size of plasmid of ca. 14kb. 5. As a result of the transformation and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments, resistant factor was R-plasmid. In conclusion, It is suggested that heavy metal contamination of mineral water is the selective pressure for the plasmid encoding the tolerance. Heavy metal resistance, in some case, is present with antibiotic resistance. Therefore, heavy metal contamination of mineral water induces antibiotic resistant bacteria.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.50 no.6
• /
• pp.545-554
• /
• 2017

Birnessite is one of the dominant Mn (oxyhydr)oxide phases commonly found in soil and deep ocean environments. It typically occurs as nano-sized and poorly crystalline aggregates in the natural environment. It is well known that birnessite participates in a wide variety of bio/geochemical reactions as a reactive mineral phase with structural defects, cation vacancies, and mixed valences of structural Mn. These various bio/geochemical reactions control not only the fate and transport of inorganic and organic substances in the environment, but also the formation of diverse Mn (oxyhydr)oxides through birnessite transformation. This review assessed and discussed about the phase transformation of birnessite under a wide range of environmental conditions and about the potential geochemical factors controlling the corresponding reactions in the literature. Birnessite transformation to other types of Mn (oxyhydr)oxides were affected by dissolved Mn(II), dissolved oxygen, solution pH, and co-existing cation (i.e., $Mg^{2+}$). However, there still have been many issues to be unraveled on the complex bio/geochemical processes involved in the phase transformation of birnessite. Future work on the detail mechanisms of birnessite transformation should be further investigated.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2016

The oxidation states of structural Fe in clay minerals often reflect the paleo-redox conditions of the depositional environments. It is inevitable to utilize the high resolution of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate the mechanism of mineral transformation at nano-scale. The applications of TEM- electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) for quantification of $Fe(III)/{\Sigma}Fe$ from the K-nontronite formation associated with structural Fe(III) reduction in nontronite under deep subseafloor environment were demonstrated. In particular, quantification of the changes in Fe-oxidation state at nanoscale is essential to understand the mechanisms of minerals formation. The procedure of EELS acquisition, quantitative determination of Fe-oxidation states, and advantages of EELS techniques were discussed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.189-194
• /
• 2012

The consequences of microbe-mineral interaction often resulted in the chemical, structural modification, or both in the biologically induced mineral. It is inevitable to utilize the high powered resolution of electron microscopy to investigate the mechanism of biogenic mineral transformation at nano-scale. The applications of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) capable of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to the study of microbe-mineral interaction were demonstrated for two examples: 1) biogenic illite formation associated with structural Fe(III) reduction in nontronite by Fereducing bacteria; 2) siderite phase formation induced by microbial Fe(III) reduction in magnetite. In particular, quantification of the changes in Fe-oxidation state at nanoscale is essential to understand the dynamic modification of minerals resulted from microbial Fe reduction. The procedure of EELS acquisition and advantages of EELS techniques were discussed.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2020

To use a tailing obtained from coal beneficiation as a raw material for glass material, the behaviors of phase transformation of the tailing was investigated according to sintered temperature with the addition of Na2CO3. As a result of the experiment, mullite was formed at 700~1,100 ℃, and the mullite and the cristobalite just only existed at 1,450 ℃. The glassification ratio of the coal tailing was to be 97.9 wt.% at 1,450 ℃ with the addition of Na2CO3 to tailing weight ratios of 10 wt.%. However, in the case of sample of coal tailing with 20 wt.% Na2CO3 added, nepheline(Na2O·Al2O3·2SiO2) was produced during the re-sintering(2nd sintering) at 1,100 ℃. From the results, the suitable addition amount of Na2CO3 for glassification of coal tailing was found around 10 wt.%.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.277-283
• /
• 2005

Pretreatment procedure was investigated into brucite powders for mineral carbonation materials. Higher magnesium content was found from brucite powders and weight loss due to hydroxy group(-OH) elimination, explained by FT-IR spectra, was found after pretreatment. X-ray diffraction results showed that the crystallographic changing of brucite into magnesium oxides during pretreatment. XPS core spectra also showed chemical transformation of magnesium ingredient from hydroxides to oxide.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.97-102
• /
• 2014

In order to improve the refresh rate of old newspaper(ONP), PCC shape-controlling experiments were carried out. The effect of a PCC polymorph on improving the quality of old newspaper was studied for a transformation from waste paper to eco-friendly paper. The synthesis of PCC consists of an in-situ process and a loading process to enhance the refresh rate of old newspaper. The characteristics between the in-situ process and the loading process could be analysed by SEM analyses of coated fiber surfaces. The retention rate ranges from 65 to 67% after the application of the in-situ process, and that after the loading process ranges from 55 to 58%. The retention rates thus show a difference of about 7-10%. In addition, the whiteness and ERIC characteristics of the in-situ process gave more efficient results than those of the loading process.