X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy as a Probe of Elemental Speciation

An effective bioremediation strategy for metals and metalloids must take the chemical state of the contaminants into account. The oxidation state and local atomic environment of contaminants critically affect such factors as their mobility, reactivity and toxicity, and hence the remediation strategy which might be applied. Since contamination exists in diverse environments, it is very likely that the chemical state of the contaminant will be site specific. X-ray absorption spectroscopy provides a unique tool for determining the chemical form of contaminants in most matrices with minimal pretreatment of the sample.