Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium

Owen P. Missen; Ella R. Lausberg; Joël Brugger; Barbara Etschmann; Stuart J. Mills; Koichi Momma; Rahul Ram; Mihoko Maruyama; Xi Ya Fang; Erik Melchiorre; Christopher G. Ryan; Edgar E. Villalobos-Portillo; Hiram Castillo-Michel; Kiyofumi Nitta; Oki Sekizawa; Jeremiah Shuster; Santonu K. Sanyal; Andrew Frierdich; Steve Hunt; Yuka Tsuri; Yuriko Takahashi; Uta Michibata; Sahil Dwivedi; Maria A.D. Rea

doi:10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053

Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium

Owen P. Missen, Ella R. Lausberg, Joël Brugger, Barbara Etschmann, Stuart J. Mills, Koichi Momma, Rahul Ram, Mihoko Maruyama, Xi Ya Fang, Erik Melchiorre, Christopher G. Ryan, Edgar E. Villalobos-Portillo, Hiram Castillo-Michel, Kiyofumi Nitta, Oki Sekizawa, Jeremiah Shuster, Santonu K. Sanyal, Andrew Frierdich, Steve Hunt, Yuka TsuriYuriko Takahashi, Uta Michibata, Sahil Dwivedi, Maria A.D. Rea

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Tellurium (Te) is a Critical Element that is toxic to microorganisms and humans alike, most notably in its soluble oxyanionic forms. To date, the biogeochemical behaviour of Te in Earth's surface environment is largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery of elemental Te nanoparticles (Te NPs) in regolith samples using Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. Tellurium NPs were detected in both proximal and distal locations (bulk concentrations >4 ppm) relative to weathering Te ores. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Mapping and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy showed that bulk Te in the regolith is generally associated with Fe (oxyhydr)oxides and clay minerals, and mostly found in the oxidation states +IV and +VI. Although Te NPs account for less than 2 mol‰ of Te in our samples, their detection provides evidence for the active biogeochemical cycling of Te in surface environments. Te NPs are reactive and are likely to have formed in situ in distal samples, most likely via microbially-mediated reduction. Hence, the presence of Te NPs indicates the potential for release of toxic soluble forms of Te even in environments where most Te is “fixed” in forms such as Fe (oxyhydr)oxides that have low solubility and poor bioavailability.

Original language	English
Article number	100053
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053
Publication status	Published - Nov 2022

Keywords

Biogeochemistry
Mineral transformations
Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
Nanoparticles
Tellurium

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10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053Licence: CC BY

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Missen, O. P., Lausberg, E. R., Brugger, J., Etschmann, B., Mills, S. J., Momma, K., Ram, R., Maruyama, M., Fang, X. Y., Melchiorre, E., Ryan, C. G., Villalobos-Portillo, E. E., Castillo-Michel, H., Nitta, K., Sekizawa, O., Shuster, J., Sanyal, S. K., Frierdich, A., Hunt, S., ... Rea, M. A. D. (2022). Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium. Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, 3, Article 100053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053

@article{705b4f6c96fd4eea84ce96a02d988a59,

title = "Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium",

abstract = "Tellurium (Te) is a Critical Element that is toxic to microorganisms and humans alike, most notably in its soluble oxyanionic forms. To date, the biogeochemical behaviour of Te in Earth's surface environment is largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery of elemental Te nanoparticles (Te NPs) in regolith samples using Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. Tellurium NPs were detected in both proximal and distal locations (bulk concentrations >4 ppm) relative to weathering Te ores. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Mapping and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy showed that bulk Te in the regolith is generally associated with Fe (oxyhydr)oxides and clay minerals, and mostly found in the oxidation states +IV and +VI. Although Te NPs account for less than 2 mol‰ of Te in our samples, their detection provides evidence for the active biogeochemical cycling of Te in surface environments. Te NPs are reactive and are likely to have formed in situ in distal samples, most likely via microbially-mediated reduction. Hence, the presence of Te NPs indicates the potential for release of toxic soluble forms of Te even in environments where most Te is “fixed” in forms such as Fe (oxyhydr)oxides that have low solubility and poor bioavailability.",

keywords = "Biogeochemistry, Mineral transformations, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico, Nanoparticles, Tellurium",

author = "Missen, \{Owen P.\} and Lausberg, \{Ella R.\} and Jo{\"e}l Brugger and Barbara Etschmann and Mills, \{Stuart J.\} and Koichi Momma and Rahul Ram and Mihoko Maruyama and Fang, \{Xi Ya\} and Erik Melchiorre and Ryan, \{Christopher G.\} and Villalobos-Portillo, \{Edgar E.\} and Hiram Castillo-Michel and Kiyofumi Nitta and Oki Sekizawa and Jeremiah Shuster and Sanyal, \{Santonu K.\} and Andrew Frierdich and Steve Hunt and Yuka Tsuri and Yuriko Takahashi and Uta Michibata and Sahil Dwivedi and Rea, \{Maria A.D.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge use of the facilities at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash X-ray Platform and Flinders Analytical Services (Flinders University). This research used equipment funded by Australian Research Council grant LE0882821 . The authors would like to acknowledge the ARC Research Hub on Australian Copper-Uranium (project number: IH130200033 ), funded by the Australian Research Council, BHP Olympic Dam and the South Australian Department of State Development; for their support and assistance. XRF and XAS measurements were performed at SPring-8, Japan (Proposal No. 2021A1077) and the ESRF, France (Proposal Nos. EV-447 \& EV-449). Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support funding provided to OPM by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, a Monash Graduate Excellence Scholarship (MGES), a Monash-Museums Victoria Scholarship (Robert Blackwood) and internal support through Monash University{\textquoteright}s Faculty of Science Research Reactivation Small Grant Scheme. The authors further acknowledge The Ian Potter Foundation grant {\textquoteleft}tracking tellurium{\textquoteright} to SJM. We also thank A/Prof Frank Reith (University of Adelaide, dec.) for his pioneering work in gold biogeochemistry, Marek Chorazewicz, Gregor Losson, Dian Hare and the Melchiorre lab for assistance with fieldwork, Dr Manuel Monta{\~n}o (Western Washington University) for his assistance with SP-ICP-MS data processing and Dr Marine Cotte (ESRF, France) for assistance with synchrotron experiments. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support funding provided to OPM by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, a Monash Graduate Excellence Scholarship (MGES), a Monash-Museums Victoria Scholarship (Robert Blackwood) and internal support through Monash University's Faculty of Science Research Reactivation Small Grant Scheme. The authors further acknowledge The Ian Potter Foundation grant {\textquoteleft}tracking tellurium{\textquoteright} to SJM. We also thank A/Prof Frank Reith (University of Adelaide, dec.) for his pioneering work in gold biogeochemistry, Marek Chorazewicz, Gregor Losson, Dian Hare and the Melchiorre lab for assistance with fieldwork, Dr Manuel Monta{\~n}o (Western Washington University) for his assistance with SP-ICP-MS data processing and Dr Marine Cotte (ESRF, France) for assistance with synchrotron experiments. The authors acknowledge use of the facilities at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash X-ray Platform and Flinders Analytical Services (Flinders University). This research used equipment funded by Australian Research Council grant LE0882821. The authors would like to acknowledge the ARC Research Hub on Australian Copper-Uranium (project number: IH130200033), funded by the Australian Research Council, BHP Olympic Dam and the South Australian Department of State Development; for their support and assistance. XRF and XAS measurements were performed at SPring-8, Japan (Proposal No. 2021A1077) and the ESRF, France (Proposal Nos. EV-447 \& EV-449). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

journal = "Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters",

issn = "2666-9110",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

Missen, OP, Lausberg, ER, Brugger, J, Etschmann, B, Mills, SJ, Momma, K, Ram, R, Maruyama, M, Fang, XY, Melchiorre, E, Ryan, CG, Villalobos-Portillo, EE, Castillo-Michel, H, Nitta, K, Sekizawa, O, Shuster, J, Sanyal, SK , Frierdich, A, Hunt, S, Tsuri, Y, Takahashi, Y, Michibata, U, Dwivedi, S & Rea, MAD 2022, 'Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium', Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, vol. 3, 100053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053

TY - JOUR

T1 - Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium

AU - Missen, Owen P.

AU - Lausberg, Ella R.

AU - Brugger, Joël

AU - Etschmann, Barbara

AU - Mills, Stuart J.

AU - Momma, Koichi

AU - Ram, Rahul

AU - Maruyama, Mihoko

AU - Fang, Xi Ya

AU - Melchiorre, Erik

AU - Ryan, Christopher G.

AU - Villalobos-Portillo, Edgar E.

AU - Castillo-Michel, Hiram

AU - Nitta, Kiyofumi

AU - Sekizawa, Oki

AU - Shuster, Jeremiah

AU - Sanyal, Santonu K.

AU - Frierdich, Andrew

AU - Hunt, Steve

AU - Tsuri, Yuka

AU - Takahashi, Yuriko

AU - Michibata, Uta

AU - Dwivedi, Sahil

AU - Rea, Maria A.D.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge use of the facilities at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash X-ray Platform and Flinders Analytical Services (Flinders University). This research used equipment funded by Australian Research Council grant LE0882821 . The authors would like to acknowledge the ARC Research Hub on Australian Copper-Uranium (project number: IH130200033 ), funded by the Australian Research Council, BHP Olympic Dam and the South Australian Department of State Development; for their support and assistance. XRF and XAS measurements were performed at SPring-8, Japan (Proposal No. 2021A1077) and the ESRF, France (Proposal Nos. EV-447 & EV-449). Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support funding provided to OPM by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, a Monash Graduate Excellence Scholarship (MGES), a Monash-Museums Victoria Scholarship (Robert Blackwood) and internal support through Monash University’s Faculty of Science Research Reactivation Small Grant Scheme. The authors further acknowledge The Ian Potter Foundation grant ‘tracking tellurium’ to SJM. We also thank A/Prof Frank Reith (University of Adelaide, dec.) for his pioneering work in gold biogeochemistry, Marek Chorazewicz, Gregor Losson, Dian Hare and the Melchiorre lab for assistance with fieldwork, Dr Manuel Montaño (Western Washington University) for his assistance with SP-ICP-MS data processing and Dr Marine Cotte (ESRF, France) for assistance with synchrotron experiments. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge support funding provided to OPM by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, a Monash Graduate Excellence Scholarship (MGES), a Monash-Museums Victoria Scholarship (Robert Blackwood) and internal support through Monash University's Faculty of Science Research Reactivation Small Grant Scheme. The authors further acknowledge The Ian Potter Foundation grant ‘tracking tellurium’ to SJM. We also thank A/Prof Frank Reith (University of Adelaide, dec.) for his pioneering work in gold biogeochemistry, Marek Chorazewicz, Gregor Losson, Dian Hare and the Melchiorre lab for assistance with fieldwork, Dr Manuel Montaño (Western Washington University) for his assistance with SP-ICP-MS data processing and Dr Marine Cotte (ESRF, France) for assistance with synchrotron experiments. The authors acknowledge use of the facilities at the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash X-ray Platform and Flinders Analytical Services (Flinders University). This research used equipment funded by Australian Research Council grant LE0882821. The authors would like to acknowledge the ARC Research Hub on Australian Copper-Uranium (project number: IH130200033), funded by the Australian Research Council, BHP Olympic Dam and the South Australian Department of State Development; for their support and assistance. XRF and XAS measurements were performed at SPring-8, Japan (Proposal No. 2021A1077) and the ESRF, France (Proposal Nos. EV-447 & EV-449). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2022/11

Y1 - 2022/11

N2 - Tellurium (Te) is a Critical Element that is toxic to microorganisms and humans alike, most notably in its soluble oxyanionic forms. To date, the biogeochemical behaviour of Te in Earth's surface environment is largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery of elemental Te nanoparticles (Te NPs) in regolith samples using Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. Tellurium NPs were detected in both proximal and distal locations (bulk concentrations >4 ppm) relative to weathering Te ores. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Mapping and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy showed that bulk Te in the regolith is generally associated with Fe (oxyhydr)oxides and clay minerals, and mostly found in the oxidation states +IV and +VI. Although Te NPs account for less than 2 mol‰ of Te in our samples, their detection provides evidence for the active biogeochemical cycling of Te in surface environments. Te NPs are reactive and are likely to have formed in situ in distal samples, most likely via microbially-mediated reduction. Hence, the presence of Te NPs indicates the potential for release of toxic soluble forms of Te even in environments where most Te is “fixed” in forms such as Fe (oxyhydr)oxides that have low solubility and poor bioavailability.

AB - Tellurium (Te) is a Critical Element that is toxic to microorganisms and humans alike, most notably in its soluble oxyanionic forms. To date, the biogeochemical behaviour of Te in Earth's surface environment is largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery of elemental Te nanoparticles (Te NPs) in regolith samples using Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. Tellurium NPs were detected in both proximal and distal locations (bulk concentrations >4 ppm) relative to weathering Te ores. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Mapping and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy showed that bulk Te in the regolith is generally associated with Fe (oxyhydr)oxides and clay minerals, and mostly found in the oxidation states +IV and +VI. Although Te NPs account for less than 2 mol‰ of Te in our samples, their detection provides evidence for the active biogeochemical cycling of Te in surface environments. Te NPs are reactive and are likely to have formed in situ in distal samples, most likely via microbially-mediated reduction. Hence, the presence of Te NPs indicates the potential for release of toxic soluble forms of Te even in environments where most Te is “fixed” in forms such as Fe (oxyhydr)oxides that have low solubility and poor bioavailability.

KW - Biogeochemistry

KW - Mineral transformations

KW - Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico

KW - Nanoparticles

KW - Tellurium

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85129923304

U2 - 10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053

DO - 10.1016/j.hazl.2022.100053

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85129923304

SN - 2666-9110

VL - 3

JO - Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters

JF - Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters

M1 - 100053

ER -

Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

The Australian Copper-Uranium Transformation Research Hub

Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM)

Monash X-ray Platform (MXP)

Cite this

Natural nanoparticles of the critical element tellurium

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

The Australian Copper-Uranium Transformation Research Hub

Equipment

Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM)

Monash X-ray Platform (MXP)

Cite this