The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) user facilities are hosting a half-day workshop titled "Spectroscopy and Modeling for Molecular Insight into Environmental Processes."
X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has become an essential tool for scientists investigating the fate of contaminants and nutrients in soils, sediments, surface waters and marine settings by providing information on the chemical form of these elements. Classical and ab initio molecular modeling, when combined with XAS, enables identification of chemical species in heterogeneous settings and opens the pathway to identify mechanisms by which contaminants and nutrients are transformed in solution and at natural interfaces.
This workshop brings together scientists to discuss how the environmental community can utilize combined spectroscopy and computational analysis to enhance our understanding of key biogeochemical processes that control the speciation, distribution and fate of contaminants and nutrients.