Dr. Martin Glaus

Transport and speciation of radionuclides in geological media relevant for the safety of the deep geological disposal of radioactive waste with a focus on experimental studies in the following areas:

• Solute diffusion in highly compacted argillaceous media (bentonite, pure clay minerals, clay rocks).
• Aqueous co-ordination chemistry: Complexation of metal ions with natural organic matter (humic-, fulvic acids) and low-molecular weight ligands (e.g. polyhydroxy type ligands).
• Degradation (abiotic, microbial) of organic polymers (e.g. cellulose, cement admixtures); solid-solution distribution of degradation products; influence of organic compounds and their degradation products on the speciation of radionuclides in aqueous systems.
• Analytical chemistry: Ion chromatography combined with different modes of detection (e.g. pulsed amperometric detection of carbohydrates).

• 1989: PhD., Laboratory for Inorganic Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich ETHZ (Diss. ETH Nr. 8873): Membrane-induced mobilisation of iron from transferrin. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. W. Schneider; Co-supervisor: Prof. Dr. H. Dutler (ETHZ).
• 1984:  M.Sc. in Biochemistry, ETHZ (Diploma work on poly-peptide synthesis).

• Since 1992:    Research Scientist, Laboratory for Waste Management, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
• 1989-1992:     Post doc fellow at EAWAG (Prof. J. Zeyer): Chemical and microbial transformation of organic contaminants in natural aqueous systems.
• 1984 – 1989:  Research and teaching assistant at the Laboratory for Inorganic Chemistry, ETHZ. 

• Head a.i. of the Diffusion Processes Group
• Management of various projects related to solute diffusion in highly compacted argillaceous media. Among others: Subtask leader in the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Workpackage FUTuRE).

• Co-supervisor of the PhD thesis of K. Vercammen (2000), ETH Zürich.
• Member of the expert elicitation panel 'selection of the solubility and sorption data', Posiva Oy, Olkiluoto, Finland (2011 and 2012).
• Co-supervisor of the PhD thesis of M. Bestel (2014), University of Bern.
• Co-supervisor of the PhD thesis of Yanhua Chen (until end of 2016), University of Bern.
• External reporter of the PhD thesis of Shangyao Guo, Université de Strasbourg, September 2023.
• Reviewer for Journals relevant to the working field, such as Applied Geochemistry, Environmental Science and Technology, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Radiochimica Acta, etc.

Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Wüst, R.A.J., 2024. Diffusion of HTO, ³⁶Cl and ²²Na in the Mesozoic rocks of northern Switzerland: II. Data interpretation in terms of an electrical double layer model. Appl. Geochem. 162, 105842.

Van Laer, L., Aertsens, M., Maes, N., Van Loon, L.R., Glaus, M.A., Wüst, R.A.J., 2024. Diffusion of HTO, ³⁶Cl and ²²Na in the Mesozoic rocks of Northern Switzerland: III. Cross-lab comparison of diffusion measurements on argillaceous twin samples. Appl. Geochem. 160, 105840.

Van Loon, L.R., Bunic, P., Frick, S., Glaus, M.A., Wüst, R.A.J., 2023. Diffusion of HTO, ³⁶Cl and ²²Na in the Mesozoic rocks of northern Switzerland. I: Effective diffusion coefficients and capacity factors across the heterogeneous sediment sequence. Appl. Geochem. 159, 105843.

Mazurek, M., Gimmi, T., Zwahlen, C., Aschwanden, L., Gaucher, E.C., Kiczka, M., Rufer, D., Wersin, P., Marques Fernandes, M., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Traber, D., Schnellmann, M., Vietor, T., 2023. Swiss deep drilling campaign 2019–2022: Geological overview and rock properties with focus on porosity and pore-space architecture. Appl. Geochem. 159, 105839.

Chen, P., Churakov, S.V., Glaus, M., Van Loon, L.R., 2023. Impact of Fe(II) on ⁹⁹Tc diffusion behavior in illite. Appl. Geochem. 156, 105759.

Krejci, P., Gimmi, T., Van Loon, L.R., Glaus, M., 2023. Relevance of diffuse-layer, Stern-layer and interlayers for diffusion in clays: A new model and its application to Na, Sr, and Cs data in bentonite. Appl. Clay Sci. 244, 107086.

Asaad, A., Hubert, F., Dazas, B., Razafitianamaharavo, A., Brunet, J., Glaus, M.A., Savoye, S., Ferrage, E., Tertre, E., 2022. A baseline study of mineralogical and morphological properties of different size fractions of illite du Puy. Appl. Clay Sci. 224, 106517.

Glaus, M.A., Frick, S., Van Loon, L.R., 2021. Competitive effects of cations on the diffusion properties of strongly sorbing trace cations in compacted illite and Opalinus Clay. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 5, 2621–2625.

Maes, N., Glaus, M.A., Baeyens, B., Marques Fernandes, M., Churakov, S.V., Dähn, R., Grangeon, S., Tournassat, C., Geckeis, H., Charlet, L., Brandt, F., Poonoosamy, J., Hoving, A., Havlova, V., Fischer, C., Scheinost, A.C., Noseck, U., Britz, S., Siitari-Kauppi, M., Missana, T., 2021. State-of-the-Art-report on the understanding of radionuclide retention and transport in clay and crystalline rocks. Final version as of 30.04.2021 of deliverable D5.1 of the HORIZON 2020 Project EURAD. EC Grant agreement no: 847593.

Glaus, M.A., Frick, S., Van Loon, L.R., 2020. A coherent approach for cation surface diffusion in clay minerals and cation sorption models: Diffusion of Cs⁺ and Eu³⁺ in compacted illite as case examples. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 274, 79–96.

Hax Damiani, L., Kosakowski, G., Glaus, M.A., Churakov, S.V., 2020. A framework for reactive transport modeling using FEniCS–Reaktoro: governing equations and benchmarking results. Computational Geosciences 24, 1071–1085.

Bestel, M., Glaus, M.A., Frick, S., Gimmi, T., Juranyi, F., Van Loon, L.R., Diamond, L.W., 2018. Combined tracer through-diffusion of HTO and ²²Na through Na-montmorillonite with different bulk dry densities. Appl. Geochem. 93, 158–166.

Chen, Y., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Mäder, U., 2018. Transport behaviour of low molecular weight organic compounds in multi-mineral clay systems. A comparison between measured and predicted values. Appl. Clay Sci. 165, 247–256.

Wigger, C., Kennell-Morrison, L., Jensen, M., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L., 2018. A comparative anion diffusion study on different argillaceous, low permeability sedimentary rocks with various pore waters. Appl. Geochem. 92, 157–165.

Chen, Y., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Mäder, U., 2018. Transport of low molecular weight organic compounds in compacted illite and kaolinite. Chemosphere 198, 226–237.

Montoya, V., Baeyens, B., Glaus, M.A., Kupcik, T., Marques Fernandes, M., Van Laer, L., Bruggeman, C., Maes, N., Schäfer, T., 2018. Sorption of Sr, Co and Zn on illite: Batch experiments and modelling including Co in-diffusion measurements on compacted samples. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 223, 1–20.

Aldaba, D., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Rigol, A., Vidal, M., 2017. Diffusion of radiosulphate and radiocaesium in kaolinite clay (KGa-2): Testing the applicability of the pore water diffusion model. Appl. Geochem. 86, 84–91.

Glaus, M.A., Aertsens, M., Appelo, C.A.J., Kupcik, T., Maes, N., Van Laer, L., Van Loon, L.R., 2015. Enhanced mass transfer rates for Sr²⁺, Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ in compacted illite caused by cation diffusion in the electrical double layer. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 165, 376–388.

Glaus, M.A., Aertsens, M., Maes, N., Van Laer, L., Van Loon, L.R., 2015. Treatment of boundary conditions in through-diffusion: A case study of ⁸⁵Sr²⁺ diffusion in compacted illite. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 177-178, 239–248.

Wieland, E., Lothenbach, B., Glaus, M.A., Thoenen, T., Schwyn, B., 2014. Influence of superplasticizers on the long-term properties of cement pastes and possible impact on radionuclide uptake in a cement-based repository for radioactive waste. Applied Geochemistry 49, 126–142.

Aldaba, D., Glaus, M.A., Leupin, O., Van Loon, L., Rigol, A. (2014). Suitability of various materials for porous filters in diffusion experiments. Radiochimica Acta, 102, 723–730.

Gimmi, T., Leupin, O.X., Eikenberg, J., Glaus, M.A., Van Loon, L.R., Waber, H.N., Wersin, P., Wang, H.A.O., Grolimund, D., Borca, C.N., Dewonck, S., Wittebroodt, C. (2014). Anisotropic diffusion at the field scale in a 4-year multi-tracer diffusion and retention experiment – I: Insights from the experimental data. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 125, 373–393.

Aimoz, L., Wieland, E., Kulik, D.A., Lothenbach, B., Glaus, M.A., Curti, E. (2013). Characterization and solubility determination of the the solid-solution between AFm-I2 and AFm-SO4. In: Bart, F., Cau- di-Coumes, C., Frizon, F., Lorente, S. (Eds.), Cement-based materials for nuclear waste storage. Springer Verlag.

Glaus, M.A., Birgersson, M., Karnland, O., Van Loon, L.R. (2013). Seeming steady-state uphill diffusion of ²²Na⁺ in compacted montmorillonite. Environ. Sci. Technol., 47, 11522–11527.

Glaus, M.A., Frick, S., Rossé, R., Van Loon, L.R. (2011). Consistent interpretation of the results of through-, out-diffusion and tracer profile analysis for trace anion diffusion in compacted montmorillonite. J. Contam. Hydrol. 123(1-2): 1–10.