Objective
This project aims at assessing the influence of microbial activity and water chemistry on the formation of clay. Clays are the natural product of the chemical weathering of silicate rocks at the lithosphere-hydrosphere-atmosphere contact. They interact greatly with water, air (they are transported long distances by the wind) and living organisms, especially those taking their nutrients directly from the soil. As a result, they are very important in all natural processes and human activities.
Our knowledge of the inorganic processes producing clays is still incomplete. In addition, biological processes contribute significantly to the production of clays. It is necessary to study the effect of biological activity on the formation of clays in order to understand clay processes fully and, more generally, the geochemical cycles at the Earth’s surface.
The project will study the combined influence of water chemistry and microbial activity on the rate of clay formation and the type of clay produced. Volcanic glass will be reacted with 4 types of natural water: spring water, freshwater, seawater and hypersaline water. The experiments will be carried out with and without microbial activity (the microbial activity will be that originally present in the natural water). During the experiments, the microbial activity (molecular methods) and the water chemistry will be monitored. After the experiments, the reaction products will be investigated using SEM, TEM, micro-infrared and micro-X-ray diffraction. The study will provide the following information: 1) relative and combined influence of water chemistry and microbiological activity on clay formation rate and clay chemistry; 2) relative influence of water and rock chemistry in controlling the composition of the clay formed; 3) interaction between the microorganisms and the volcanic glass and neoformed clay; 4) identity and development of the microbial populations.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering amorphous solids
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
SW7 5BD London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.