Collaborative Research: NIRT: The Role of Nano-Scale Colloids in Particle Aggregation and Trace Metal Scavenging in Aquatic Systems

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0210865 Santschi The aim of this proposal is to investigate the structural dynamics of aggregates of nano-scale colloidal particles and the role of the nano-scale fibrillar biopolymers in inorganic colloid aggregation. The proposal addresses the role that these structures play in the transport of trace metals and pollutants in natural environmental and engineered systems.The combination of experimental studies encompassing microscopic methods (AFM and EM), synchrotron-based methods (SAXS, XAS), and multi-scale modeling will aid in elucidating the significance of particulate material in aquatic systems.This project is collaborative and multi-disciplinary, combining expertise from chemistry, biology, and modeling to investigate the role of fibrils and macromolecules in inorganic colloid aggregation. Results of this work should help in the understanding the self-cleansing capacity of fresh, estuarine and marine waters through transport and sedimentation. Of special interest is the understanding of the similarities and differences between freshwater and seawater.This proposal was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Initiative, NSF 01-157, category NIRT.