Speciation of Magnesium in Aerosols Using X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Related to Its Contribution to Neutralization Reactions in the Atmosphere

Aerosols, including mineral dust, are transported from China and Mongolia to Japan, particularly in spring. It has been recognized that calcium (Ca) carbonate is the main Ca species in aerosols, which reacts with acidic species such as sulfuric and nitric acids at the surface of mineral dust during its long-range transport, related to mitigation of acid depositions. The similar assumption that magnesium (Mg) originally takes the form of carbonate and contributes to the neutralization reaction and buffering effect on the acidity of aerosols has been suggested in various studies. However, few studies have confirmed this process by measuring actual Mg species in aerosols quantitatively. In this study, X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was employed to determine Mg species in size-fractionated aerosol samples, including mineral dust. The results showed that (i) most Mg in the mineral dust did not take the form of carbonate and its reacted species (e.g., sulfate and nitrate) produced by the neutralization reaction, but (ii) Mg was mainly found as Mg in the octahedral layer in phyllosilicates. Given that the reactivity of such Mg in phyllosilicates is much lower than those in carbonate minerals, the contribution of Mg to the neutralization reactions in the atmosphere must be lower than previously expected.

A Mero-Plesiotype Series of Vanadates, Arsenates, and Phosphates with Blocks Based on Densely Packed Octahedral Layers as Repeating Modules

The family of layered vanadates, arsenates, and phosphates is discussed in terms of a modular concept. The group includes minerals vésignéite and bayldonite, and a number of synthetic analogous and modifications which are not isotypic, but their crystal structures comprise similar blocks (modules) consisting of a central octahedral layer filled by atoms of d elements (Mn, Ni, Cu, or Co) and adjacent [VO4], [AsO4], or [PO4] tetrahedra. The octahedral layers are based on the close-packing of oxygen atoms. Within these layers having the same anionic substructure, the number and distribution of octahedral voids are different. In the crystal structures of compounds participating in the polysomatic series, these blocks alternate with various other structural fragments. These circumstances define the row of structurally-related vanadates, arsenates, and phosphates as a mero-plesiotype series. Most of the series members exhibit magnetic properties, representing two-dimensional antiferromagnets or frustrated magnets.

Mechanochemical Activation of Polymetallic Ore and Further Selective Floatation

It has been demonstrated that shock-vibrating activation of minerals is a prospective method to impact the ore; it may be used to intensify chemical and physical-chemical processes of mineral raw material processing and preparation. Differences in the composition and phase properties, obtained both in terms of continuous and periodic modes, are in the fact that in the first case loadings deal with interlayer space preserving layered nature of the mineral. When the mode is continuous, then the disturbances cover the octahedral layer though elementary constituent – tetrahedrons – are preserved. It has emerged that the most important advantage of high reacting capability of activated minerals is in the fact that leaching of some ores may be performed in chlorhydric acid at the expense of transformation of some silicate components into a specific state – loose packing of basic silicate chain. Consequently, shock-vibrating activation has become a basis to develop a method of leaching process intensification as well as a method to control phase formation.

Effect of Doping Metal Ions on the Structure Transformation of Octahedral Layer Structure Manganese Oxide

The Octahedral layer structure manganese oxides (Buserite and Birnessite) have been synthesized and modified by aging a MnOx gel which was produced from the redox reactions between Mn2+ and MnO4- in the presence of other metal cations (Mg2+, Ni2+, Co2+ or Cu2+). The present study investigates the structure transformation between Buserite and Birnessite using X-ray powder diffraction conducted on cation doped manganese oxides at different stages of before and after hydration. The results indicate that introduction of Mg2+ into the interlayer can completely achieve the structure transformation between Birnessite and Buserite after hydrated at 24h, and Ni2+ can partially reverse.

Thermal Activation of Palygorskite at Different Temperatures

The palygorskite or attapulgite is a mineral clay that has a fibrous morphology with porous crystalline structure, hydrated of type 2:1, which is constituted by layer-shaped strips with two tetrahedral layers connected by a central octahedral layer through the sharing of common oxygens [. It presents in its structure low surface charge, high magnesium content and high specific surface area. This mineral clay together with the sepiolite belong to the class of fibrous clay minerals [.

Microwave-activated p-TSA dealuminated montmorillonite – a new material with improved catalytic activity

We report a montmorillonite material with enhanced surface area but with very little alteration in cation exchange capacity (CEC) upon dealumination with para toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA). The new material shows higher catalytic activity in comparison with mineral-acid-treated clay. Montmorillonite clay was treated with p-TSA for 10 minutes under microwave irradiation. The resulting clay was characterized by CEC, X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of ammonia and cyclic voltametry (CV) techniques. XRD patterns show an unchanged structure of pristine matrix after the acid action. BET analysis revealed an increase in the surface area and pore volume on p-TSA treatment, indicating formation of voids in the octahedral layer which suggests dealumination. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption curves showed the creation of new micro porous regions, possibly in the octahedral sheets. In contrast to mineral acid treatment, p-TSA treated clay samples showed similar CEC which shows the absence of dissolution of isomorphously substituted Mg and Fe ions present in the octahedral layer. CV studies confirm the formation of an Al-p-TSA complex, suggesting dissolution of aluminium octahedral sheets. The complex subsequently hydrolyses, replacing interlayer cations with Al3+ ions. Similar treatment with mineral acid resulted in clay with enhanced surface area but with reduced CEC, evidently due to the removal of isomorphously substituted Fe and Mg. Further, the p-TSA treated clays showed relatively higher esterification activity under solvent-free microwave irradiation. The p-TSA treated clay retained its activity even after three subsequent runs and thus can be exploited for practical applications.