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Oxidative dissolution of nano- and microparticles of lead in water
Gennadii L Bykov1, Vadim A Ershov1, Boris G Ershov1
1Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Pr. 31-4, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
Abstract:
Lead is an extremely hazardous pollutant that poses a severe threat to the ecosystem. It enters the atmosphere in the form of nano- and microparticles and is then carried by wind and water. These particles easily dissolve in water, turning into ions which are easily absorbed by living organisms. Thus, lead quickly spreads throughout the environment, harming the ecosystem. This paper explores the state and transformation of nano- and microparticles of lead, focusing on the formation and properties of their dispersions in water, both deaerated and aerated. In deaerated water, the metal dispersion is unstable; microparticles agglomerate and eventually settle. When exposed to air, lead microparticles undergo rapid oxidation and dissolution. Oxidative dissolution accelerates with increasing acidity. The dissolution process follows an electrochemical mechanism: first, a poorly soluble oxide forms, which then reacts with hydrogen ions to dissolve. The calculated activation energy for the oxidative dissolution of lead microparticles in water is 41.6 ± 3.1 kJ mol-1.
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