Chemistry Colloquium

Florence T. Ling, Ph.D., assistant professor, La Salle University, presents "Mineral Solid Solutions for Environmental Problems: How do we use co-precipitation processes to treat water contamination?" at 4-5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11 in Park 180.

Prior to the presentation, please join us for a Q&A, 2:30-3:30 p.m. in Park 273, Chemistry Lounge. 

Ling is an environmental geochemist and mineralogist. Her research focuses on chemical reactions in the environment between minerals and fluids, which are often mediated by biological processes.

Information about the talk:
In chemical precipitation, atoms come together in a solution to form a solid or mineral phase. During this process, contaminants from the surrounding solution can also be incorporated into the solid. Co-precipitation describes the inclusion of trace elements into minerals during solid formation. This process can be used in environmental applications to remove hazardous contaminants from wastewaters. We will explore how co-precipitation is used for a variety of environmental issues, including the treatment of wastewater produced from oil and gas operations and the treatment of acid mine drainage water. These wastewaters contain high levels of toxic metals, such as Ra, Sr, Al, Ni, and Ba. By understanding the chemistry of the wastewaters, treatment systems can be engineered to maximize contaminant removal through co-precipitation.

Chemistry