Speaker: Prof. Per Persson, Department of Chemistry, Umeå University.

Date: 2009-06-02

Time: 11:00

Place: Blå Hallen, Ecology building, Sölvegatan 37 Lund

Abstract: The reactivity, mobility and availability of naturally occurring chemicals and anthropogenic contaminants in the environment are largely influenced by chemical speciation, i.e. molecular structures, elemental compositions, and redox states. Chemical speciation is controlled by processes that are inherent to heterogeneous environmental systems, and these processes include reactions at solid-liquid interfaces. With recent advances in spectroscopic methods, it is now possible to probe several of these processes under in-situ conditions. Applications of synchrotron-based X-ray absorption and infrared spectroscopic methods will be reviewed. Focus will be on the structure of metal species in aquatic and terrestrial environments, and on processes occurring at the interfaces between water solutions and environmental particles. The potential of spatially resolved spectroscopic techniques will also be discussed.