Profile

Research

The ongoing energy and technological transitions of modern societies are likely to increase the natural concentrations of technology-critical elements in aquatic environments. Yet, the environmental impact of this rise remains largely unknown and potentially unpredictable, with possible implications for the seasonal and long-term quality of water resources. My research aims to characterize the reactivity (mobility vs. retention) and fate (transfer between sources and storage areas) of technology critical elements, such as metalloids, in hydrological systems. This work combines field-based investigations with newly developed geochemical models, isotope geochemistry, and machine learning approaches to better understand both the natural and anthropogenic behavior of these elements within biogeochemical cycles. Particular emphasis is placed on processes governing sorption kinetics, solid–liquid partitioning, element speciation, carrier phases, and bioaccumulation at continent-ocean transition systems. Overall, this research provides a geochemical foundation for developing digital twins of the environment, improving predictive capabilities for future scenarios, and supporting sustainable water management from local to international scales.

Projects

2025-currently	Post-Doctorate – Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Responsible: Prof. Dr. Stefan Norra. Topic: (1) Development of solutions for the sustainable and climate-adapted management of water resources from the beginning to the end of mining activities (WaMiSAR), and (2) evaluation of the impact of extreme climatic events (flood vs drought) in ground and spring waters to ensure future safety of drinking water supplies (ZuKoWa). Both BMBF projects applied in Namibia/South Africa and in the natural reserve of Bühl (Black Forest, Germany), respectively. Collaborations: with multiple industrial partners (e.g., Impact Catalyst, TZW, Sensatec, Hydroisotop, Aquantec, etc.), local authorities (e.g., Stadtwerke Bühl) and international universities (e.g., University of Potsdam, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Namibian University of Science and Technology, etc.) related to mining, aquatic chemistry, water quality and microbiology.
2022-2025	Post-Doctorate (YiG Prep Pro fellowship) – Institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Responsible: Dr. Teba Gil-Díaz Topic: monitoring and modelling of technology critical elements in major waterways of south-west Germany. Collaborations: with the Institute of Geosciences (IGW) at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, the Landesanstalt für Umwelt Baden-Württemberg (LUBW), der Amt für Umwelt und Energie (AUE, Switzerland), IME Fraunhofer Institute and the German Environmental Specimen Bank.
2019-2022	Post-Doctorate - Institute of Geosciences (IGW) at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena and the Institute of Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Responsible: Prof. Thorsten Schäfer and PD. Dr. Frank Heberling. Topic: The effect of intermolecular forces on the rheology of cement paste during the first hours of hydration: microscopic approach with model silica particles. Collaborations: with the Faculty of Civil Engineering (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Weimar) and the Institute of Construction Materials (Universität Hannover – LUH, Hannover).
2015-2019	Doctorate in Geochemistry and Ecotoxicology - UMR CNRS 5808 EPOC, Bordeaux, France. Responsible: Prof. Jörg Schäfer. Topic: Biogeochemical behaviour of Sb and Te (as well as for Sn and Se) in ecosystems at the continent-ocean interface of the Garonne-Gironde and Rhône river systems (France): development of dispersion scenarios for radioactive homologues in the hypothetical case of a nuclear accidental release. Collaborations: with the IRSN (Cadarache, France), le Centre Atlantique IFREMER (Nantes, France), the institute of Applied Geosciences (AGW-KIT) and the Institute of Ecopreneurship (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, FHNW - Bâle).

Publications

Selective extraction protocols and associated residual phases: a case study based on the recovery of base and critical metals from unconventional resources
Zamparas, C.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Eiche, E.
2025, July 10. Goldschmidt Conference (2025), Prague, Czechia, July 6–11, 2025

Understanding the potential mobility of geogenic metals of concern from heavy mineral sands
Zamparas, C.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Schild, D.; Eiche, E.
2023. GeoBerlin (2023), Berlin, Germany, September 3–7, 2023. doi:10.48380/zkzh-zb24

Semi-metal and rare earth element kinetic behavior in oxalate buffer solution: case of an extraction protocol targeted for Fe/Mn-phases with environmental and health implications
Zamparas, C.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Eiche, E.
2024. GeoSaxonia (2024), Dresden, Germany, September 23–26, 2024. doi:10.48380/behe-rj84

Rare earth element mobility in contrasting sediments
Zamparas, C.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Eiche, E.
2023. GeoBerlin (2023), Berlin, Germany, September 3–7, 2023. doi:10.48380/hzk0-6v11

Solid phase speciation and mobility of thorium in soil samples from a case study in Sri Lanka
Ratnayake, S.; Lützenkirchen, J.; Schild, D.; Finck, N.; Eiche, E.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Weerasooriya, R.; Geckeis, H.
2025. Radiochimica Acta, 113 (4), 277–298. doi:10.1515/ract-2024-0334

Gaussian process regression as a powerful tool for analysing time series in environmental geochemistry
Gil-Díaz, T.; Trumm, M.
2024. Ecological Informatics, 84, Art.-Nr.: 102877. doi:10.1016/j.ecoinf.2024.102877

Reactivity and fluxes of antimony in a macrotidal estuarine salinity gradient: Insights from single and triple quadrupole ICP-MS performances
Gil-Díaz, T.; Pougnet, F.; Dutruch, L.; Schäfer, J.; Coynel, A.
2024. Marine Chemistry, 267, Art.-Nr.: 104465. doi:10.1016/j.marchem.2024.104465

Reactivity and bioconcentration of stable cesium in a hyperturbid fluvial-estuarine continuum: A combination of field observations and geochemical modeling
Gil-Díaz, T.; Pougnet, F.; Labassa, M.; Dutruch, L.; Abdou, M.; Coynel, A.; Eyrolle, F.; Briant, N.; Knoery, J.; Schäfer, J.
2024. Chemosphere, 359, Art.-Nr.: 142266. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142266

Editorial: Advances in the environmental distribution of less studied elements
Gil-Díaz, T.; Schäfer, J.; Schäfer, T.; Eiche, E.; Eyrolle, F.
2024. Frontiers in Marine Science, 11. doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1413033

Thermodynamic models of solid-liquid-interface chemistry - free surfaces and charge regulation boundary conditions
Heberling, F.; Lützenkirchen, J.; Gil-Díaz, T.
2024. Encyclopedia of Solid-Liquid Interfaces, 215–229, Elsevier. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-85669-0.00087-8

Surface Complexation Models for Heterogeneous and Uneven Surfaces – The Charge Regulation Concept Applied to Simple 2D Geometries
Heberling, F.; Gil-Díaz, T.; Luetzenkirchen, J.
2021. Goldschmidt (2021), Online, July 4–9, 2021. doi:10.7185/gold2021.6054

The influences of cement hydration and temperature on the thixotropy of cement paste
Link, J.; Sowoidnich, T.; Pfitzner, C.; Gil-Diaz, T.; Heberling, F.; Lützenkirchen, J.; Schäfer, T.; Ludwig, H.-M.; Haist, M.
2020. Materials, 13 (8), Art. Nr.: 1853. doi:10.3390/MA13081853

Tin-113 and Selenium-75 radiotracer adsorption and desorption kinetics in contrasting estuarine salinity and turbidity conditions
Gil-Díaz, T.; Heberling, F.; Keller, V.; Fuss, M.; Böttle, M.; Eiche, E.; Schäfer, J.
2020. Journal of environmental radioactivity, 213, Article: 106133. doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.106133

Tellurium and selenium sorption kinetics and solid fractionation under contrasting estuarine salinity and turbidity conditions
Gil-Díaz, T.; Schäfer, J.; Keller, V.; Eiche, E.; Dutruch, L.; Mößner, C.; Lenz, M.; Eyrolle, F.
2020. Chemical geology, 532, 119370. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2019.119370