Effect of Solution Stoichiometry on BaSO4 Crystallization from Turbidity Measurements and Modeling.

The impact of solution stoichiometry on the nucleation and growth of BaSO4 was studied by measuring solution transmittance and subsequent fitting to a crystallization model. Our results show that a large excess of either Ba2+ or SO42- ions inhibits both the nucleation and growth of BaSO4. However, for a small excess of Ba2+, the growth is enhanced. The dependence of nucleation and growth rates on supersaturation and solution stoichiometry was captured by a semiempirical rate model. Hence, the solution stoichiometry is a highly relevant parameter while studying all aspects of BaSO4 crystallization, and it could be worthwhile to examine other minerals similarly.

Calcite surface structure and reactivity: molecular dynamics simulations and macroscopic surface modelling of the calcite-water interface.

Calcite-water interactions are important not only in carbon sequestration and the global carbon cycle, but also in contaminant behaviour in calcite-bearing host rock and in many industrial applications. Here we quantify the effect of variations in surface structure on calcite surface reactivity. Firstly, we employ classical Molecular Dynamics simulations of calcite surfaces containing an etch pit and a growth terrace, to show that the local environment in water around structurally different surface sites is distinct. In addition to observing the expected formation of more calcium-water interactions and hydrogen-bonds at lower-coordinated sites, we also observed subtle differences in hydrogen bonding around acute versus obtuse edges and corners. We subsequently used this information to refine the protonation constants for the calcite surface sites, according to the Charge Distribution MUltiSite Ion Complexation (CD-MUSIC) approach. The subtle differences in hydrogen bonding translate into markedly different charging behaviour versus pH, in particular for acute versus obtuse corner sites. The results show quantitatively that calcite surface reactivity is directly related to surface topography. The information obtained in this study is not only crucial for the improvement of existing macroscopic surface models of the reactivity of calcite towards contaminants, but also improves our atomic-level understanding of mineral-water interactions.

Reversibility of cadmium sorption to calcite revisited.

Cadmium sorption to calcite was studied in aqueous solution at calco-carbonic (CO(2)-H(2)O-CaCO(3)) equilibrium and at concentrations below the solubility product of otavite (<10(-7) mol L(-1)). Experiments were conducted in a stirred flow-through reactor, lasting for 15 and 60 h at flow rates of 1.6 and 0.5 mL min(-1), respectively. Under both flow conditions, the cadmium breakthrough curves reached steady state after a flow time of about 50 reactor volumes, but different calcite saturation levels were achieved, which implied time-dependent sorption rates. Desorption of cadmium was induced by switching from Cd-containing to Cd-free solution in the reactor inflow. Reversibility of sorption was then evaluated by comparing amounts sorbed and desorbed over identical time intervals. On average, the desorption/sorption ratio was 95±10%. Desorption rates were close to those for sorption and showed the same time dependency: Initially, rates were fast and slowed down with time. "Irreversible" surface reactions such as solid-solution formation could not be inferred. In previous research, cadmium sorption was often shown to be partly irreversible. We surmise that calcite surface ripening is conditioned by the concentration of lattice-building ions in the EDL. At calco-carbonic equilibrium, these ion concentrations at the surface are lowest. Therefore, irreversible binding of cadmium is not favoured.

Comparative electrophysiological, functional, and histological studies of nerve lesions in rats.

The aim of this study was to establish a nerve lesion model to compare serial electrophysiological and functional outcome measures with histological findings. The relative significance of the parameters in lesions of diverse severity, the time course of recovery, and the tools for serial longitudinal studies after nerve lesions were studied in rats. We compared weekly electrophysiological and functional studies for 100 or 150 days in rats after crush or section/suture of the sciatic nerve at midthigh level. Finally, tibial nerves were taken for histology. We confirmed that recovery was faster and more complete in nerves regenerating after crush than after section, irrespective of method of evaluation. Furthermore, continuous maturational changes occurred in control nerves, and such continuous growth-related changes should be taken into account when evaluating maturational changes during nerve regeneration. A lack of correlation between evaluation methods supports that functional, morphological, and physiological parameters show different aspects of the recovery process after nerve lesions, and that these outcome measures should be included separately in therapeutic studies.