MINERAL-ORGANIC MATTER INTERACTIONS IN AQUATIC SYSTEMS: THE NEED FOR INTEGRATED, MULTI-MODAL IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY

The Earth and environmental sciences (EES) are composed of at least 100 disciplines that investigate Earth’s environments spanning the mantle to the stratosphere. EES research covers basic science to understand Earth processes, as well as applied science to understand environmental processes affecting human and ecosystem health. Within the broad scope of EES, a wide range of geochemistry applications can be found. In this contribution, we will focus on research that makes use of synchrotron user facilities for X-ray imaging, spectromicroscopy, and ptychography to investigate the composition and properties of particles in aquatic systems.

Synchrotrons currently offer a portfolio of soft, tender, and hard X-ray instruments (categorized by wavelength of X-rays) that access elements from carbon to sulfur to iron and beyond. Soft and tender X-ray techniques are a critical class of synchrotron-based capabilities that have unique strengths and require unique instrumentation and scientific expertise. Soft X-ray methods are valuable for accessing light elements (e.g. carbon, nitrogen) that are the foundation of life on Earth and participate in element cycles in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Tender X-rays access elements with important abiotic and biologic roles (sulfur, phosphorus), as well as abundant mineral-forming elements (aluminum, silicon). In response to the pressing scientific needs and limited instrument resources a new facility at the Advanced Light Source was established: the SYnergy of Soft and Tender X-rays for Earth Research (SYSTER).

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the new SYSTER program, which is part of the National Science Foundation’s “Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science” (SEES) facility. The purpose of SEES is to support Earth, environmental, and geoscience research at U.S. synchrotrons. We will highlight: (1) research addressing how interactions between minerals and organic matter affect metal mobility in aquatic systems; (2) soft and tender X-ray spectromicroscopy and ptychography methods that are available through SYSTER.