Blacksburg, Va. -- The ubiquity of mineral nanoparticles in natural waters, the atmosphere, and in soils and their intriguing properties provide Earth scientists with another dimension in which to understand our planet.
So states a team of scientists from seven universities in a review article in the March 21, 2008, issue of Science, "Nanominerals, Mineral Nanoparticles, and Earth Chemistry."
The way minerals influence earth is more complex than previously thought. Physical, chemical, and biological processes on Earth are either influenced or driven by the physical and chemical properties of minerals, of which 4,500 species have been described. Minerals have an enormous range of physical and chemical properties due to a wide range of composition and structure, including particle size.
