Advanced Analytical Techniques for Determining Metal Speciation in Contaminated Soils

The primary objective of the proposed project is to develop innovative new analytical instrumentation and methodology capable of non destructive detection and identification of trace amounts of metals in contaminated soils. Once developed, the instrumentation and methodology could be interfaced with a reaction sample characterization before and after treatment. The project has been divided into two phases. Phase I consists primarily of research and design of the required instrumentation, which would subsequently be constructed and developed during Phase II. In this Phase I proposal, we propose to investigate the applicability of high-performance, high-energy Auger electron spectroscopy for the characterization of contaminated soil samples, and to design a custom instrument capable of producing two-dimensional images of the samples from the viewpoint of each element. This approach is promising for the examination of contaminated soils because Auger spectroscopy is particularly sensitive to high atomic number elements (such as heavy metals), and the use of high-energy Auger electrons allows selectivity from the lighter elements typically abundant in soils. Such instrumentation is not readily available, as it involves the application of some of the most recent advances in surface analysis.