Schwertmannite is a ferric hydroxylsulfate nanomineral that controls metal and metalloid cycling in natural and contaminated systems. Detailed investigations by the Hochella group using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that freshly precipitated schwertmannite consists of sulfate-poor, goethite-like nanoparticles hosted in an amorphous ferric hydroxylsulfate matrix. The observed chemical and physical heterogeneity has inspired new studies of schwertmannite nucleation and growth, which are difficult to reconcile using a classical model for crystallization by addition of monomeric species. We have been developing and applying <i>in situ</i> and <i>ex situ</i> approaches to study homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation and growth of synthetic schwertmannite. The resulting data from these experiments can be analyzed to obtain quantitative information about the relationships between solution chemical and physical factors on the rates and pathways of schwertmannite formation. This information has practical applications in the treatment of acid mine drainage that negatively impacts soil and water quality around the globe.

Synthetic schwertmannite formation

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