Research interests
My research focusses on heavy metals in the environment: how they move through landscapes, the risk they pose, and how to clean them up.
My research combines
- Field- and lab-based chemistry
- Advanced spectroscopic and scattering techniques
- Geochemical modelling
to understand the molecular-scale processes that underpin landscape-scale geochemistry. Research highlights include:
Mineral transformations in coastal acid sulfate soils
The formation and persistence of the meta-stable iron sulfide mineral greigite is an important step in the remediation of coastal acid sulfate soils, but the response of greigite to periods of oxygenation (for example, during a neap tide) is poorly understood. In this study, we employed X-ray absorption spectroscopy to identify the Fe and S speciation and mineralogy resulting from the oxidative disintegration of synthetic greigite under neap tide conditions. Results indicate divergent Fe and S mineralization pathways culminating in elemental sulfur and iron (hyr)oxide minerals. No sulfate-containing minerals were identified, and under all conditions tested, residual greigite remained. The oxidation products, and the presence of sulfur reducing bacteria, provide the right chemical environment for the reformation of greigite during the sub-oxic conditions of the rest of the tidal cycle. This likely explains the persistence of greigite in the intertidal zone, and implies that the oxidation of greigite is not detrimental to the long term stability of the acid sulfate soil remediation process.
Bushfires mobilize arsenic in Australian soils
Fires in iron-rich seasonal wetlands can thermally transform soil minerals and alter their crystallinity. However, the fate of As associated with thermally transformed iron minerals is unclear. We subjected As(V)-coprecipitated schwertmannite to thermal transformation (200-800 °C). Heating to >400 °C caused transformation of schwertmannite to a nanocrystalline hematite with greater surface area and smaller particle size. Higher temperatures also caused the initially structurally incorporated As to become progressively more exchangeable, increasing surface-complexed As by up to 60-fold, thereby triggering enhanced As mobilization upon reflooding. Further research is warranted to unravel the wider implications for water quality in natural wetlands.
Adapting uranium mineral processing circuits to tolerate seawater
Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we identified the mechanism by which chloride impacts the extraction of U(VI) by a weak base anion exchange resin from acidic sulfate solutions. The amount of chloride present affects U(VI) speciation both in the feed solutions and adsorbed by the resin, and we find three distinct U(VI) species taken up by the resin across the salinity gradient, directly corresponding to changes in levels of U(VI) extraction. These findings are integral to the effective design of mineral processing circuits incorporating seawater—a cheaper and more sustainable water source than fresh water.
Units taught
SET111 - Environmental Design
SEV201 - Environmental Health Engineering
Publications
S Adhikari, E Moon, W Timms
(2024), Vol. 446, pp. 1-10, Journal of Cleaner Production, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
M Nguyen, A Baghbani, A Alnedawi, S Ullah, B Kafle, M Thomas, E Moon, N Milne
(2023), Vol. 12, Transportation Engineering, C1
Calcium Carbonate Prenucleation Cluster Pathway Observed via In Situ Small-Angle X-ray Scattering
Jonathan Avaro, Ellen Moon, Kai Schultz, Andrew Rose
(2023), Vol. 14, pp. 4517-4523, Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, Washington, D.C., C1
Phosphorus adsorption and organic release from dried and thermally treated water treatment sludge
Minh Nguyen, David Donaldson, Sirjana Adhikari, Negin Amini, Deepak Mallya, Michael Thomas, Ellen Moon, Nicholas Milne
(2023), Vol. 234, pp. 116524-116524, Environmental Research, Netherlands, C1
Minh Nguyen, Anithadevi Sivaram, Mallavarapu Megharaj, Lawrence Webb, Sirjana Adhikari, Michael Thomas, Aravind Surapaneni, Ellen Moon, Nicholas Milne
(2023), Vol. 338, pp. 1-8, Chemosphere, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
RAFT Polymer-Based Surfactants for Minerals Recovery
Negin Amini, Bo Fan, Tina Hsia, Ellen Moon, Karen Hapgood, San Thang
(2023), Vol. 8, pp. 40532-40546, ACS Omega, United States, C1
Comparative analysis of biochar carbon stability methods and implications for carbon credits
Sirjana Adhikari, Ellen Moon, Jorge Paz-Ferreiro, Wendy Timms
(2023), pp. 1-41, Science of the Total Environment, Amsterdam, Netherlands, C1
D Kurukulasuriya, W Howcroft, E Moon, K Meredith, W Timms
(2022), Vol. 41, pp. 357-369, Mine Water and the Environment, Berlin, Germany, C1
Beneficial reuse of water treatment sludge in the context of circular economy
M Nguyen, M Thomas, A Surapaneni, E Moon, N Milne
(2022), Vol. 28, pp. 1-14, Environmental Technology and Innovation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
M Nguyen, S Adhikari, D Mallya, M Thomas, A Surapaneni, E Moon, N Milne
(2022), Vol. 27, pp. 1-11, Environmental Technology and Innovation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Water tracer technologies to detect sources of seepage and protect environmental assets
Wendy Timms, Devmi Kurukulasuriya, Bill Howcroft, Ellen Moon, Karina Meredith
(2021), pp. 167-176, Proceedings of the Resource Operators 2021 Conference, Wollongong, Australia, E1
J Amphlett, S Choi, S Parry, E Moon, C Sharrad, M Ogden
(2020), Vol. 392, Chemical Engineering Journal, C1
Calcium coordination environment in precursor species to calcium carbonate mineral formation
J Avaro, E Moon, J Rose, A Rose
(2019), Vol. 259, pp. 344-357, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
REE behavior and sorption on weak acid resins from buffered media
J Bezzina, M Ogden, E Moon, K Soldenhoff
(2018), Vol. 59, pp. 440-455, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
G Choppala, E Moon, R Bush, N Bolan, N Carroll
(2018), Vol. 201, pp. 380-387, Chemosphere, England, C1-1
M Ogden, E Moon, A Wilson, S Pepper
(2017), Vol. 317, pp. 80-89, Chemical Engineering Journal, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
G Choppala, R Bush, E Moon, N Ward, Z Wang, N Bolan, L Sullivan
(2017), Vol. 186, pp. 158-166, Journal of Environmental Management, England, C1-1
Divergent Fe and S mineralization pathways during the oxidative transformation of greigite, Fe₃S₄
E Moon, R Bush, D Gibbs, J Mata
(2017), Vol. 468, pp. 42-48, Chemical Geology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
E Moon, M Ogden, C Griffith, A Wilson, J Mata
(2017), Vol. 51, pp. 255-263, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
H Luke, M Martens, E Moon, D Smith, N Ward, R Bush
(2017), Vol. 18, pp. 103-114, Ecological Management and Restoration, Richmond, Vic., C1-1
Arsenic Mobilization Is Enhanced by Thermal Transformation of Schwertmannite
S Johnston, E Burton, E Moon
(2016), Vol. 50, pp. 8010-8019, Environmental Science and Technology, United States, C1-1
Towards an understanding of thallium isotope fractionation during adsorption to manganese oxides
S Nielsen, L Wasylenki, M Rehkämper, C Peacock, Z Xue, E Moon
(2013), Vol. 117, pp. 252-265, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
E Moon, C Peacock
(2013), Vol. 104, pp. 148-164, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
E Moon, C Peacock
(2012), Vol. 92, pp. 203-219, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
C Peacock, E Moon
(2012), Vol. 84, pp. 297-313, Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Adsorption of Cu(II) to Bacillus subtilis: A pH-dependent EXAFS and thermodynamic modelling study
E Moon, C Peacock
(2011), Vol. 75, pp. 6705-6719, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals
Prof Kevin Galvin, Prof San Thang, Prof Graeme Jameson, A/Prof Chun-Xia Zhao, Prof William Skinner, Prof George Franks, Prof Steven Armes, Prof Jan Miller, Prof Zhenghe Xu, Prof Robert Davis, Prof Peter Scales, Prof Erica Wanless, Prof Geoffrey Evans, Prof Anh Nguyen, A/Prof David Beattie, Prof Jacobus Eksteen, A/Prof Kenneth Williams, A/Prof Seher Ata, A/Prof Grant Webber, Prof Yongjun Peng, Dr Roberto Moreno-Atanasio, Dr Boon Teo, Dr Susana Brito e Abreu, Dr Grant Ballantyne, Dr Marta Krasowska, Dr Aaron Noble, Dr Anthony Stickland, A/Prof Elham Doroodchi, A/Prof Kym Runge, Dr Nathan Runge, Dr Peter Ireland, Dr Elizaveta Forbes, Mr Colin MacRae, Dr Ellen Moon, Prof Karen Hapgood
ARC CRE - Centres of Excellence
- 2024: $97,705
- 2023: $195,410
- 2022: $195,410
- 2021: $195,410
- 2020: $97,705
Other Public Sector Funding
Assessing water quality risk in water distribution networks in relation to bushfires.
Dr James Gong, Dr Ellen Moon
Barwon Region Water Corporation
- 2024: $32,000
- 2023: $32,000
- 2022: $32,000
Field study on concentrations of asbestos fibres in drinking water.
Dr James Gong, Dr Ellen Moon
Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency
- 2024: $12,093
Industry and Other Funding
Investigation of the long-term strength degradation of pastefill from the Kibali Mine
Prof Bre-Anne Sainsbury, Dr Ellen Moon
Kibali Gold Mine
- 2024: $24,575
Supervisions
Minh Duc Nguyen
Thesis entitled: Developing Novel End-use Pathways for Water Treatment Sludge
Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering), School of Engineering