Environmental Geochemistry and Mineralogy Group

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Washington University in St. Louis

Research

Current Research

The Environmental Geochemistry and Mineralogy Group studies geochemical processes controlling mineral transformations and the fate of nutrients, contaminants, and trace elements in aquatic systems.

Our current projects investigate:

• Mineral transformations during biogeochemical iron and manganese cycling
• Contaminant and nutrient sequestration and release during iron cycling
• Complex adsorption behavior of arsenic and other oxoanions
• Molecular-scale structure of mineral-water interfaces
• Ferromanganese deposit formation in karst cave systems
• Mineral weathering and clay formation under anoxic and oxic conditions as models for past geochemical processes on Mars
  

Past Research

Examples of Prof. Catalano's past research include:

Environmental Characterization at the Hanford Site

• Reduction of chromate beneath tank SX-108
• Precipitation of uranium silicates beneath tank BX-102
• Changes in uranium speciation with depth below the 300 A North Process Pond

• Oxidation and precipitation of cobalt in alkaline systems
• Surface complexation and binding site distribution of uranium(VI) adsorbed on montmorillonite

• Comparative adsorption of uranium on hematite and corundum