week 2 - inorganic contam Flashcards
what are metals
lose electrons to form positive ions (cations), great electrical and heat conductivity.
what are non metals
gain electrons to form negative ions (anions). poor conductors of heat and electricity. tend to form acidic compounds and are brittle.
what are metalloids
exhibit both metallic and non metallic behaviour
what are examples of metalloids
arsenic and antimony
what general purpose screen for inorganics contam in soil or water include what elements
vanadium, chrominium, maganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, tin, tunteen, mercury, thalium and lead
what does a Eh-pH (ORP) diagram help indicate metal in what
metal species in solution, what happens when conditions change and solubility/stability of species
what is EC
electrical conductivity, the ability of a material to conduct electrical current, using milliSiemens per cm (mS/cm)
what is DO
dissolved oxygen, the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water, measured in milligram per litre (mg/L) = ppm or percentage of saturation
when do DO concentrations decrease
higher temperature, salinity and altitude
how does temperature affect elements in water
higher temperature increases reaction rates and increase the amount of a solid that can be dissolved
what do acidic conditions help
dissolve metals and keep them in solution
what do buffers do for pH
minimise changes or raise pH
what happens when you add the buffer superphosphate fertliser
it lowers pH, mobilising metals in solution then dissolves and raises pH and metal concentrations drop
where do contaminants reside in solid phase
within crystalline materials (silicates, oxides, carbonates and sulfates)
or
sorbed to mineral surfaces
or
onto organic compounds
where do contaminants reside in liquid phase
free phase and dissolved in pore water
what are the controls on reaction rates in soil
moisture, temperature, particle size and chemical speciation
what are colloids and what do they do
particles too small to naked eye but not dissolved, metals can be transported by absorbing into them.
what conditions can increase concentration of colloids
oxidising conditions and charge colloids can attract metals and continue flowing through pore water flow.
what are sequential extractions and why is it important
5 step extraction can show whether or not total metal values might be environmentall or biologically meaningful
1. exchangeable
2. carbonates
3. organics
4. sulfates and Fe-Mn oxides
5. silicate hosted metals
what are the drawbacks of sequential extractions
expensive and no single extraction is perfect because boundaries between the reservoids overlap
what is the most widely known sequential extraction
the 5 step method
what are the two leaching tests
batch and dynamic
what are the two most relevant leaching tests in Aus
toxicity chracteristics leaching procedure (TCLP) and australian standard leaching procedure (ASLP)
metals at contaminated sites can be ? (how can they transform)
transformed into insoluble or sparingly soluble forms, their mobility and environmental risk will be reduced
what are the 6 steps to classify waste
- is material special waste
- liquid
- pre classified
- hazardous
- determing wastes classification using chemical tests
- general solid waste
how to get rid of solid waste
contaminated soil/sediment can be removed and disposed in landfills, clean fill may be implaced
what problems can arise from removing contaminated sediment/soil
oxidisation, more soluble and bioavailable
how can solid waste be contained
impermeable capping and liners, compacted clay, geosynthetic liners