Chapter 7
The Nature of Manganese Oxides in Soils
and Their Role as Scavengers of Trace
Elements: Implication for Soil Remediation
Sylvain Grangeon, Philippe Bataillard, and Samuel Coussy
Abstract Manganese (Mn) oxides are ubiquitous in the environment, being found
for example under the form of coatings and nodules in soils, freshwater and marine
sediments, and as rock varnishes in temperate, arid, and polar areas. In all these
settings, they frequently control or influence the geochemical cycle of many trace
elements, including metals and organics, through sorption and oxidative degradation
mechanisms. In addition, Mn oxides can be used for soil remediation processes, by
taking advantage of their exceptional reactivity.
This chapter is divided in two main sections. The first section is devoted to
reviewing the nature of Mn oxides found in pristine natural settings. A specific
effort made to distinguish between layered and tunnel structures, and their genetic
relationship is discussed. Their reactivity toward metals and organics and the
evolution of this reactivity as a function of time and chemical conditions are also
discussed. In particular, the short- and long-term metal immobilization processes are
reviewed. Considering that the associations observed in natural settings can be
considered as representative of those occurring during long-term interaction between
Mn oxides and the element of interest, the first section provides insights about the
long-term retention capacities of Mn oxides as well as the nature of the products
formed during the reaction of Mn oxides and metals or organics. The second section
of this chapter focuses on the potential uses of Mn oxides for soil remediation. Mn
oxides can be used as (1) oxidative reagents for organic and inorganic substances,
(2) sorption mediums of trace metals and metalloids, and (3) reactive sorbent agents
for chemical warfare agent and organophosphate pesticides. Efficiencies of each
technique are variables and specific care is needed regarding the degradation products in the case of organic substances remediation. The use of both natural and
engineered Mn oxides is referenced for soil remediation. Birnessite-like structures
seem to be the most efficient Mn oxides for cleanup purposes.
S. Grangeon (*) · P. Bataillard (*) · S. Coussy (*)
BRGM, Orléans, France
e-mail: s.grangeon@brgm.fr; p.bataillard@brgm.fr; s.coussy@brgm.fr
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. D. van Hullebusch et al. (eds.), Environmental Soil Remediation
and Rehabilitation, Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a
Sustainable Future, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40348-5_7
399
The Nature of Manganese Oxides in Soils
and Their Role as Scavengers of Trace
Elements: Implication for Soil Remediation
Sylvain Grangeon, Philippe Bataillard, and Samuel Coussy
Abstract Manganese (Mn) oxides are ubiquitous in the environment, being found
for example under the form of coatings and nodules in soils, freshwater and marine
sediments, and as rock varnishes in temperate, arid, and polar areas. In all these
settings, they frequently control or influence the geochemical cycle of many trace
elements, including metals and organics, through sorption and oxidative degradation
mechanisms. In addition, Mn oxides can be used for soil remediation processes, by
taking advantage of their exceptional reactivity.
This chapter is divided in two main sections. The first section is devoted to
reviewing the nature of Mn oxides found in pristine natural settings. A specific
effort made to distinguish between layered and tunnel structures, and their genetic
relationship is discussed. Their reactivity toward metals and organics and the
evolution of this reactivity as a function of time and chemical conditions are also
discussed. In particular, the short- and long-term metal immobilization processes are
reviewed. Considering that the associations observed in natural settings can be
considered as representative of those occurring during long-term interaction between
Mn oxides and the element of interest, the first section provides insights about the
long-term retention capacities of Mn oxides as well as the nature of the products
formed during the reaction of Mn oxides and metals or organics. The second section
of this chapter focuses on the potential uses of Mn oxides for soil remediation. Mn
oxides can be used as (1) oxidative reagents for organic and inorganic substances,
(2) sorption mediums of trace metals and metalloids, and (3) reactive sorbent agents
for chemical warfare agent and organophosphate pesticides. Efficiencies of each
technique are variables and specific care is needed regarding the degradation products in the case of organic substances remediation. The use of both natural and
engineered Mn oxides is referenced for soil remediation. Birnessite-like structures
seem to be the most efficient Mn oxides for cleanup purposes.
S. Grangeon (*) · P. Bataillard (*) · S. Coussy (*)
BRGM, Orléans, France
e-mail: s.grangeon@brgm.fr; p.bataillard@brgm.fr; s.coussy@brgm.fr
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. D. van Hullebusch et al. (eds.), Environmental Soil Remediation
and Rehabilitation, Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a
Sustainable Future, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40348-5_7
399