Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics
Abstract Interfacial processes involving metal (oxyhydr)oxide phases are important for the mobility and bioavailability of nutrients and contaminants in soils, sediments, and water. Consequently, these processes influence ecosystem health and functioning, and have shaped the biological and environme...
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BMC
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Geochemical Transactions |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12932-024-00094-8 |
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| author | Ardalan Hayatifar Simon Gravelle Beatriz D. Moreno Valerie A. Schoepfer Matthew B. J. Lindsay |
| author_facet | Ardalan Hayatifar Simon Gravelle Beatriz D. Moreno Valerie A. Schoepfer Matthew B. J. Lindsay |
| author_sort | Ardalan Hayatifar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Interfacial processes involving metal (oxyhydr)oxide phases are important for the mobility and bioavailability of nutrients and contaminants in soils, sediments, and water. Consequently, these processes influence ecosystem health and functioning, and have shaped the biological and environmental co-evolution of Earth over geologic time. Here we employ reactive molecular dynamics simulations, supported by synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy to study the molecular-scale interfacial processes that influence surface complexation in ferrihydrite-water systems containing aqueous $${\text {MoO}_4}^{2-}$$ MoO 4 2 - . We validate the utility of this approach by calculating surface complexation models directly from simulations. The reactive force-field captures the realistic dynamics of surface restructuring, surface charge equilibration, and the evolution of the interfacial water hydrogen bond network in response to adsorption and proton transfer. We find that upon hydration and adsorption, ferrihydrite restructures into a more disordered phase through surface charge equilibration, as revealed by simulations and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. We observed how this restructuring leads to a different interfacial hydrogen bond network compared to bulk water by monitoring water dynamics. Using umbrella sampling, we constructed the free energy landscape of aqueous $${\text {MoO}_4}^{2-}$$ MoO 4 2 - adsorption at various concentrations and the deprotonation of the ferrihydrite surface. The results demonstrate excellent agreement with the values reported by experimental surface complexation models. These findings are important as reactive molecular dynamics opens new avenues to study mineral-water interfaces, enriching and refining surface complexation models beyond their foundational assumptions. Graphic Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-57837cb0369e4c99862e1315c57ecc5f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1467-4866 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geochemical Transactions |
| spelling | doaj-art-57837cb0369e4c99862e1315c57ecc5f2025-08-20T03:10:31ZengBMCGeochemical Transactions1467-48662024-10-0125111410.1186/s12932-024-00094-8Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamicsArdalan Hayatifar0Simon Gravelle1Beatriz D. Moreno2Valerie A. Schoepfer3Matthew B. J. Lindsay4Department of Geological Sciences, University of SaskatchewanUniversity Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LIPhyScience Division, Canadian Light SourceDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of SaskatchewanDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of SaskatchewanAbstract Interfacial processes involving metal (oxyhydr)oxide phases are important for the mobility and bioavailability of nutrients and contaminants in soils, sediments, and water. Consequently, these processes influence ecosystem health and functioning, and have shaped the biological and environmental co-evolution of Earth over geologic time. Here we employ reactive molecular dynamics simulations, supported by synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy to study the molecular-scale interfacial processes that influence surface complexation in ferrihydrite-water systems containing aqueous $${\text {MoO}_4}^{2-}$$ MoO 4 2 - . We validate the utility of this approach by calculating surface complexation models directly from simulations. The reactive force-field captures the realistic dynamics of surface restructuring, surface charge equilibration, and the evolution of the interfacial water hydrogen bond network in response to adsorption and proton transfer. We find that upon hydration and adsorption, ferrihydrite restructures into a more disordered phase through surface charge equilibration, as revealed by simulations and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. We observed how this restructuring leads to a different interfacial hydrogen bond network compared to bulk water by monitoring water dynamics. Using umbrella sampling, we constructed the free energy landscape of aqueous $${\text {MoO}_4}^{2-}$$ MoO 4 2 - adsorption at various concentrations and the deprotonation of the ferrihydrite surface. The results demonstrate excellent agreement with the values reported by experimental surface complexation models. These findings are important as reactive molecular dynamics opens new avenues to study mineral-water interfaces, enriching and refining surface complexation models beyond their foundational assumptions. Graphic Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12932-024-00094-8AdsorptionUmbrella samplingSynchrotron X-rayPair distribution functionSurface complexation modelsFerrihydrite |
| spellingShingle | Ardalan Hayatifar Simon Gravelle Beatriz D. Moreno Valerie A. Schoepfer Matthew B. J. Lindsay Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics Geochemical Transactions Adsorption Umbrella sampling Synchrotron X-ray Pair distribution function Surface complexation models Ferrihydrite |
| title | Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| title_full | Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| title_short | Probing atomic-scale processes at the ferrihydrite-water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| title_sort | probing atomic scale processes at the ferrihydrite water interface with reactive molecular dynamics |
| topic | Adsorption Umbrella sampling Synchrotron X-ray Pair distribution function Surface complexation models Ferrihydrite |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12932-024-00094-8 |
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