When it rains enough to create run-off, traces of zinc from these sources get washed out and enter the environment through stormwater run-off. The main sources of zinc in urban areas are worn tyres, painted buildings and galvanised and coated roofs. So how does zinc move from where it’s meant to be into our environment? However, when the pH is below 5.5, zinc may become more available to plants and microorganisms tends. Soil particles with a pH of 5 or higher tend to bind with zinc, resulting in low mobility of zinc. In soils, zinc can be distributed in multiple ways – it can bind to soil particles or porewater (the water between soil particles).In acidic waters where the pH is low, zinc tends to dissolve and be in a free form, making it more available to aquatic organisms such as fish. In water, the pH among other factors will determine if zinc is in a freely dissolved form or is attached to sediment.Once released in the environment, zinc behaves in different ways depending on the characteristics of the environment: The form of zinc will determine its toxicity, with free zinc ions (Zn 2+) being the most available and toxic form to organisms. It can, however, take different forms (free zinc ions, zinc hydroxide or zinc sulphate) depending on environmental conditions. Zinc is a persistent element, this means it does not degrade or break down into smaller molecules called metabolites. This includes changes in plant growth and photosynthesis, and cellular damage and reproduction problems in animals. This can result in plants and animals obtaining an altered intake of other nutrients, which can have different impacts. At high concentrations, zinc can also outcompete other essential elements (such as calcium and copper) in biological processes. Environmental fate and exposure to non-target organismsĭespite its natural origin and beneficial properties, zinc can become toxic to organisms at certain doses. Zinc is also used in sunscreens, human and veterinary medications and health supplements, cosmetics, wood preservatives, paint pigments and anti-fouling paints, fertilisers, household products and as an agent in rubber vulcanisation, a process used by the tyre industry. In 2017, worldwide use of zinc was over 14 million metric tonnes! Its main use is in the steel industry where it is used (sometimes with other metals to form alloys) as a layer to prevent oxidation and rust. In addition to Jena, the study's co-authors include Hong Fang, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the Department of Physics, and postdoctoral researchers Deepika, Ph.D., and Huta Banjade, Ph.D.Humans use a lot of zinc – it is the fourth most widely used metal after iron, aluminium and copper. "We are always exploring new materials with properties that people thought are not attainable we do this by controlling their size, composition and charge state," he said. Jena's groundbreaking findings on zinc build on his past work, he said, as he and colleagues have been developing atomic clusters that can be highly stable when carrying multiple charges. "This is what we call modern day alchemy." For example, gold, a noble metal, can be reactive when size is reduced to nanometers," he said. "The remarkable properties of nanomaterials are that they can be very different from their bulk counterparts. Jena, the author of roughly 650 papers and 14 books, has conducted research on atomic clusters and nanoparticles for more than 35 years. Jena's paper, "Realization of Zn 3+ Oxidation State," was published in the journal Nanoscale. "This study shows that fundamental chemical properties of an atom can be changed." "Its d-electrons participate in chemical reactions and zinc can carry a magnetic moment," Jena said. However, Jena found that when reacted with highly stable trianions, zinc's properties can be changed. While zinc is categorized as a transition metal element, its third electron shell-arranged around the nucleus and containing electrons-is full, and unlike regular transition metals, does not take part in zinc's chemical reaction and does not allow zinc to be magnetic. "This technology allows you to manipulate chemistry at the fundamental level, making synthesis of new materials with tailored properties possible," said Jena, Distinguished Professor of Physics in the College of Humanities and Sciences.
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