Rates of hydrous ferric oxide crystallization and the influence on coprecipitated arsenate

Alkali Extraction of Arsenic from Groundwater Treatment Sludge: An Essential Initial Step for Arsenic Recovery

Arsenic (As)-bearing Fe(III) precipitate groundwater treatment sludge has traditionally been viewed by the water sector as a disposal issue rather than a resource opportunity, partly due to assumptions of the low value of As. However, As has now been classified as a Critical Raw Material (CRM) in many regions, providing new incentives to recover As and other useful components of the sludge, such as phosphate (P) and the reactive hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) sorbent. Here, we investigate alkali extraction to separate As from a variety of field and synthetic As-bearing HFO sludges, which is a critical first step to enable sludge upcycling. We found that As extraction was most effective using NaOH, with the As extraction efficiency increasing up to >99% with increasing NaOH concentrations (0.01, 0.1, and 1 M). Extraction with Na2CO3 and Ca(OH)2 was ineffective (<5%). Extraction time (hour, day, week) played a secondary role in As release but tended to be important at lower NaOH concentrations. Little difference in As extraction efficiency was observed for several key variables, including sludge aging time (50 days) and cosorbed oxyanions (e.g., Si, P). However, the presence of ∼10 mass% calcite decreased As release from field and synthetic sludges considerably (<70% As extracted). Concomitant with As release, alkali extraction promoted crystallization of poorly ordered HFO and decreased particle specific surface area, with structural modifications increasing with NaOH concentration and extraction time. Taken together, these results provide essential information to inform and optimize the design of resource recovery methods for As-bearing treatment sludge.

Deep-dive into iron-based co-precipitation of arsenic: A review of mechanisms derived from synchrotron techniques and implications for groundwater treatment

The co-precipitation of Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides with arsenic (As) is one of the most widespread approaches to treat As-contaminated groundwater in both low- and high-income settings. Fe-based co-precipitation of As occurs in a variety of conventional and decentralized treatment schemes, including aeration and sand filtration, ferric chloride addition and technologies based on controlled corrosion of Fe(0) (i.e., electrocoagulation). Despite its ease of deployment, Fe-based co-precipitation of As entails a complex series of chemical reactions that often occur simultaneously, including electron-transfer reactions, mineral nucleation, crystal growth, and As sorption. In recent years, the growing use of sophisticated synchrotron-based characterization techniques in water treatment research has generated new detailed and mechanistic insights into the reactions that govern As removal efficiency. The purpose of this critical review is to synthesize the current understanding of the molecular-scale reaction pathways of As co-precipitation with Fe(III), where the source of Fe(III) can be ferric chloride solutions or oxidized Fe(II) sourced from natural Fe(II) in groundwater, ferrous salts or controlled Fe(0) corrosion. We draw primarily on the mechanistic knowledge gained from spectroscopic and nano-scale investigations. We begin by describing the least complex reactions relevant in these conditions (Fe(II) oxidation, Fe(III) polymerization, As sorption in single-solute systems) and build to multi-solute systems containing common groundwater ions that can alter the pathways of As uptake during Fe(III) co-precipitation (Ca, Mg bivalent cations; P, Si oxyanions). We conclude the review by providing a perspective on critical knowledge gaps remaining in this field and new research directions that can further improve the understanding of As removal via Fe(III) co-precipitation.

The fate of arsenic during the crystallization process of FeIII oxyhydroxides: Effect of reaction media, pH value, and Fe/As molar ratio under relatively low arsenic loading

Understanding the nature of arsenic (As) adsorbed on FeIII oxyhydroxides, and the subsequent behavior of As during the crystallization process, is critical to predicting its fate in a range of natural and engineered settings. In this work, As adsorbed on FeIII oxyhydroxides formed in the different reaction media at different pH values were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) to determine how As is redistributed during the crystallization process. Results showed that at pH 12, a quarter of the added As was still left in the liquid phase with the formation of goethite and hematite as the major and minor product. The concentration of As was found to be the lowest at pH 4 which is independent of the reaction media, indicating the importance of pH value in the crystallization process of the As adsorbed FeIII oxyhydroxides. Under acidic conditions, sulfate and chloride media favored the formation of goethite and hematite, respectively. Arsenic can indeed be incorporated into the structure of the formed goethite at pH 4. The morphology of the formed products changed to rhombus-like particles if both goethite and hematite appeared as the later as the dominant product.

Arsenic immobilization in soil affected by mining waste using waste-derived functional hydrochar and iron-encapsulated materials

Arsenic (As) contamination is a widespread problem. Continued and concerted effort in exploring sustainable remediation strategies is required, with in situ immobilization emerging as a promising option. This work valorized a waste by-product from olive (Olea europaea L.) milling into functional hydrochar (HC). The HC was then transformed into iron oxide-encapsulated carbon with three different iron loading rates (10, 25, and 50% w/w of iron chloride hexahydrate added to the olive mill waste feedstock). The HC and the three iron oxide-encapsulated carbon materials were then tested in a pot trial using a 3% w/w application rate as a means to immobilize As in a mining-contaminated soil (2,580 ± 110 mg kg^-1 As). After a 45-d incubation period, the effect of adding the amendments on As mobility and bioaccessibility compared with an untreated control was measured using a sequential extraction procedure and in vitro bioaccessibility, respectively. All four treatments resulted in a decrease in mobility and in vitro bioaccessibility as compared with the control. Specifically, As in the mobile phases was up to 35% less than the in control, whereas bioaccessibility was 21.8% in the control and ranged from 17.5 to 12.3% in the treatments. The efficiency of amendments to immobilize As increased with the iron content of the developed materials. This work positions HCs and iron oxide-encapsulated carbon materials produced from olive mill waste as promising options to immobilize As in situ.

Novel strategy for reusing agricultural mulch film residual by iron modification for arsenic removal in gold-smelting wastewater

In gold-smelting wastewater after the original treatment process of flocculation and precipitation using mainly lime, a mixture of As, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn, Al, Ni, and Fe existed with an arsenic concentration of 813.07 mg/L and other ions' concentration at ug/L levels. In this work, a new clean process of mainly adsorption with self-made adsorbent Fe-PE, which was synthesized by loading ferric lignin on agricultural mulch film residual, was investigated to purify and remove arsenic from gold-smelting wastewater. A batch of column experiments was investigated to explore the reaction behavior between wastewater and adsorbent Fe-PE. The results showed while operating the adsorption columns at a pilot scale for 68 days, the arsenic concentration in the effluent was below 0.5 mg/L, and there was no significant change in the concentration of co-existing metal ions, indicating that Fe-PE had a good selective adsorption performance for arsenic in wastewater. Furthermore, Fe-PE did not dissolve and release Fe ions in wastewater, and the whole process could not produce sludge. This work first suggested an efficient and potential application for the purification and removal of arsenic from gold-smelting wastewater with agricultural mulch film residual after chemical modification, which will provide a novel strategy for reusing the agricultural mulch film residual.

Cadmium, lead and arsenic contamination in an abandoned nonferrous metal smelting site in southern China: Chemical speciation and mobility

The investigation of chemical speciation of primary toxic metal(loid)s (Cd, Pb, and As) in soil profile in nonferrous metal smelting site is a key to the assessment of their mobility characteristics and formulation of subsequent remediation strategy. In this study, 74 soil samples were collected at 12 different soil profiles; soil physio-chemical properties and total content of Cd, Pb and As and corresponding chemical speciation were also determined. The results showed that the mean total concentration followed the order of Pb > As > Cd. A large proportion of Pb, Cd and As were accumulated in upper soil profiles (depth < 3 m). Heavy pollution of Pb, Cd and As were observed in the whole soil profile at the area of fuel oil storage tank (ZY6) and lead smelting area (ZY8). The dominant fraction of Cd was exchangeable fraction (F1); Pb was dominant in Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction (F3) in most cases; Crystallized Fe/Al hydrous oxides bound fraction (F4) generally accounted for a large proportion of As. Mobility factor (MF) followed the order Cd > As > Pb, indicating that Cd was the most mobile element in soil profiles. Pearson correlation analysis found that MF_Cd was significantly positively correlated to soil silt; the F4 fraction percentage of As was significantly positively correlated to soil redox potential (Eh). Additionally, MF_Cd/Pb was found to be positively correlated to crystalline iron (Fe_c), while negatively correlated to amorphous iron (Fe_o). The findings reported in this study, on the basis of distribution characteristics of chemical speciation could provide a new solution for future soil remediation at the site. Long-term solutions to metal(loid)s pollution might be offered by microbial-assisted soil washing technique that promotes the transformation of Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction and organic/sulfide-bound fraction.

Hydrous ferric oxides (HFO's) precipitated from contaminated waters at several abandoned Sb deposits - Interdisciplinary assessment

The presented paper represents a comprehensive analysis of ochre sediments precipitated from Fe rich drainage waters contaminated by arsenic and antimony. Ochre samples from three abandoned Sb deposits were collected in three different seasons and were characterized from the mineralogical, geochemical, and microbiological point of view. They were formed mainly by poorly crystallized 2-line ferrihydrite, with the content of arsenic in samples ranging from 7 g·kg^-1 to 130 g·kg^-1 and content of antimony ranging from 0.25 g·kg^-1 up to 12 g·kg^-1. Next-generation sequencing approach with 16S RNA, 18S RNA and ITS markers was used to characterize bacterial, fungal, algal, metazoal and protozoal communities occurring in the HFOs. In the 16S RNA, the analysis dominated bacteria (96.2%) were mainly Proteobacteria (68.8%) and Bacteroidetes (10.2%) and to less extent also Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Nitrosprae and Chloroflexi. Alpha and beta diversity analysis revealed that the bacterial communities of individual sites do not differ significantly, and only subtle seasonal changes were observed. In this As and Sb rich, circumneutral microenvironment, rich in iron, sulfates and carbonates, methylotrophic bacteria (Methylobacter, Methylotenera), metal/reducing bacteria (Geobacter, Rhodoferax), metal-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria (Gallionella, Azospira, Sphingopyxis, Leptothrix and Dechloromonas), sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Sulfuricurvum, Desulphobulbaceae) and nitrifying bacteria (Nitrospira, Nitrosospira) accounted for the most dominant ecological groups and their impact over Fe, As, Sb, sulfur and nitrogen geocycles is discussed. This study provides evidence of diverse microbial communities that exist in drainage waters and are highly important in the process of mobilization or immobilization of the potentially toxic elements.

Effects of Fe(II)-induced transformation of scorodite on arsenic solubility

Scorodite (FeAsO₄·2H₂O) is a pivotal secondary ferric arsenate that immobilizes most of arsenic (As) in acidic As-contaminated environments, but secondary As pollution may occur during dissolution of scorodite in environments involving redox changes. Reductive dissolution of scorodite by coexisting dissolved Fe²⁺ (Fe(II)_aq) under anaerobic conditions and its effects on the behavior of As have yet to be examined. Here, this study monitored the changes in mineralogy, solubility and speciation of As during scorodite transformation induced by Fe(II) under anaerobic conditions at pH 7.0 and discussed the underlying mechanisms. Mössbauer and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the formation of parasymplesite and ferrihydrite-like species during scorodite transformation, which was highly controlled by Fe(II)_aq concentrations. 1 mM Fe(II)_aq enhanced As mobilization into the solution, whereas As was repartitioned to the PO₄^3--extractable and HCl-extractable phases with 5 and 10 mM Fe(II). The neo-formed parasymplesite and ferrihydrite-like species immobilized dissolved As(V) through adsorption and incorporation. Additionally, As(V) reduction occurred during Fe(II)-induced scorodite transformation. Our results provide new insights into the stability and risk of scorodite in anaerobic environments as well as the geochemical behavior of As in response to Fe cycling.

The stability of poorly crystalline arsenical ferrihydrite after long-term soil suspension incubation

2- Line ferrihydrite (Fh) is widely used as a robust amendment for rapid arsenic removal or remediation in water or soil. However, the poorly crystalline phase of Fh is unstable and leads to arsenic leaching after long-term submergence in reductive aquatic and soil environments. In this study, the synthesized As(V)-bound Fh was characterized by various spectral approaches to investigate the factors that may affect the variation in As(V)-Fh in long-term continuously submerged soil suspensions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that hematite was the main product and that goethite was the byproduct after 360 d of incubation. Approximately 12-17% and 4-5% Fh were transformed at As/Fe mole ratios of 0.005 and 0.05, respectively. After 360 d of incubation, the hematite morphology was clearly observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the As(V)-Fh surface areas were also decreased by 17.3-27.6% and 11.9-16.6% for As/Fe mole ratios of 0.005 and 0.05, respectively. In a comparison of the two tested soils (soils sampled in Sichuan Province (SC) and Hunan Province (HN)), As(V)-Fh transformed faster in HN soil suspensions, and more hematite and goethite were formed. Furthermore, during the incubation period, As(V) was transformed to As(III), and both species were released into the suspension from the As(V)-Fh surface. It was suggested that soil pH and Fe(II) concentration were key factors controlling the As(V)-Fh transformation process, and the differences between the two soils were due to the different soil pH values and contents of available Fe. Arsenic release was mainly caused by Fh transformation and ligand competition with soil organic matter (SOM).

How different are the arsenic fractions inhibit alkaline phosphatases on aggregates scale?

Arsenate [As(V)], in general, is associated with various aggregates and exists as different species in soil, which in turn influences its toxicity and potential contamination. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of alkaline phosphatases (ALP) to evaluate As(V) pollution. However, the effect of different arsenic fractions on ALP among soil aggregates is still unclear. Thus, the distribution of As fractions and ALP kinetics was determined in four-month As-aged paddy soil aggregates. Results revealed the two major fractions of As in aggregates were humic-bound and Fe and Mn oxides-bound [both around 30% under 800 mg kg^-1 of As(V)]. Besides, it was observed that available soil phosphorus could positively affect the relative content of water-soluble, exchangeable and carbonate-bound arsenic. In the kinetics experiment, both the Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) and maximum reaction velocity (V_max) of ALP increased with increasing As(V) concentration under four months ageing for each size aggregate. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis between k_cat and the relative content of arsenic fraction indicated that carbonate-bound arsenic is the main fraction that inhibited the k_cat for macroaggregates (> 0.25 mm size). For soil aggregates of 0.1-0.25 mm size, k_cat increased with an increase in arsenic residual fraction. As for aggregates <0.1 mm size, Fe and Mn oxide-bound fraction is the main fraction that inhibited the k_cat. Overall, this study suggests carbonate-bound and Fe and Mn oxide-bound arsenic fractions could decrease the ALP activities via a decrease in the catalytic efficiency in macroaggregates and <0.1 mm size aggregates, respectively. Besides, available phosphorus should be considered as the main factor when assessing As biotoxicity and mobility.

Arsenic release to the environment from hydrocarbon production, storage, transportation, use and waste management

Arsenic (As) is a toxic trace element with many sources, including hydrocarbons such as oil, natural gas, oil sands, and oil- and gas-bearing shales. Arsenic from these hydrocarbon sources can be released to the environment through human activities of hydrocarbon production, storage, transportation and use. In addition, accidental release of hydrocarbons to aquifers with naturally occurring (geogenic) As can induce mobilization of As to groundwater through biogeochemical reactions triggered by hydrocarbon biodegradation. In this paper, we review the occurrence of As in different hydrocarbons and the release of As from these sources into the environment. We also examine the occurrence of As in wastes from hydrocarbon production, including produced water and sludge. Last, we discuss the potential for As release related to waste management, including accidental or intentional releases, and recycling and reuse of these wastes.

Stability of Fe-As composites formed with As(V) and aged ferrihydrite

During the aging process, ferrihydrite was transformed into mineral mixtures composed of different proportions of ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite and hematite. Such a transformation may affect the fixed ability of arsenic. In this study, the stability of Fe-As composites formed with As(V) and the minerals aged for 0, 1, 4, 10 and 30 days of ferrihydrite were systematically examined, and the effects of molar of ratios Fe/As were also clarified using kinetic methods combined with multiple spectroscopic techniques. The results indicated that As(V) was rapidly adsorbed on minerals during the initial polymerization process, which delayed both the ferrihydrite conversion and the hematite formation. When the Fe/As molar ratio was 1.875 and 5.66, the As(V) adsorbed by ferrihydrite began to release after 6 hr and 12 hr, respectively. The corresponding release amounts of As(V) were 0.55 g/L and 0.07 g/L, and the adsorption rates were 92.43% and 97.50% at 60 days, respectively. However, the As(V) adsorbed by the transformation products aged for 30 days of ferrihydrite began to release after adsorbed 30 days. The corresponding release amounts of As(V) were 0.25 g/L and 0.03 g/L, and the adsorption rates were 84.23% and 92.18% after adsorbed 60 days, for the Fe/As=1.875 and 5.66, respectively. Overall, the combination of As(V) with ferrihydrite and aged products transformed from a thermodynamically metastable phase to a dynamically stable state within a certain duration. Moreover, the aging process of ferrihydrite reduced the sorption ability of arsenate by iron (hydr)oxide but enhanced the stability of the Fe-As composites.

Removal of Arsenate and Arsenite in Equimolar Ferrous and Ferric Sulfate Solutions through Mineral Coprecipitation: Formation of Sulfate Green Rust, Goethite, and Lepidocrocite

An improved understanding of in situ mineralization in the presence of dissolved arsenic and both ferrous and ferric iron is necessary because it is an important geochemical process in the fate and transformation of arsenic and iron in groundwater systems. This work aimed at evaluating mineral phases that could form and the related transformation of arsenic species during coprecipitation. We conducted batch tests to precipitate ferrous (133 mM) and ferric (133 mM) ions in sulfate (533 mM) solutions spiked with As (0–100 mM As(V) or As(III)) and titrated with solid NaOH (400 mM). Goethite and lepidocrocite were formed at 0.5–5 mM As(V) or As(III). Only lepidocrocite formed at 10 mM As(III). Only goethite formed in the absence of added As(V) or As(III). Iron (II, III) hydroxysulfate green rust (sulfate green rust or SGR) was formed at 50 mM As(III) at an equilibrium pH of 6.34. X-ray analysis indicated that amorphous solid products were formed at 10–100 mM As(V) or 100 mM As(III). The batch tests showed that As removal ranged from 98.65–100%. Total arsenic concentrations in the formed solid phases increased with the initial solution arsenic concentrations ranging from 1.85–20.7 g kg⁻¹. Substantial oxidation of initially added As(III) to As(V) occurred, whereas As(V) reduction did not occur. This study demonstrates that concentrations and species of arsenic in the parent solution influence the mineralogy of coprecipitated solid phases, which in turn affects As redox transformations.

Quantifying Microbially Mediated Kinetics of Ferrihydrite Transformation and Arsenic Reduction: Role of the Arsenate-Reducing Gene Expression Pattern

The behavior of arsenic (As) is usually coupled with iron (Fe) oxide transformation and mediated by both abiotic reactions and microbial processes in the environment. However, quantitative models for the coupled kinetic processes, which specifically consider the arsenate-reducing gene expression correspondent to different reaction conditions, are lacking. In this study, based on the pure cultured Shewanella putrefaciens incubation experiments, extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and a suite of microbial analyses, we developed a coupled kinetics model for microbially mediated As reduction and Fe oxide transformation and specifically quantified the As(V) reduction rate coefficients based on the expression patterns of arrA genes. The model reasonably described the temporal changes of As speciation and distribution. The microbial reduction rates of As(V) varied dramatically during the reactions, which were well represented by the varying transcript abundances of arrA genes at different As concentrations. The contributions of biotic and abiotic reactions to the overall reaction rates were assessed. The results improved our quantitative understanding on the key role of As(V)-reducing genes in regulating the speciation and distribution of As. The kinetic modeling approaches based on microbial gene expression patterns are promising for developing comprehensive biogeochemical models of As involving multiple coupled reactions.

Stabilization and transformation of selenium during the Fe(II)-induced transformation of Se(IV)-adsorbed ferrihydrite under anaerobic conditions

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for human beings at trace concentrations, but also a hazardous contaminant at high concentrations. As an important geological adsorbent, the transformation of 2-line ferrihydrite (Fh) strongly influences the geochemical behavior of selenium. However, little is known about the effect of the recrystallization of Fh on the fate of adsorbed Se(IV) in the reducing environments. We investigated the redistribution and transformation of Se(IV) during the recrystallization of Se(IV)-adsorbed Fh accelerated by Fe(II) under anaerobic conditions. Synchrotron based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was utilized to characterize oxidation state of Se. Results revealed that the adsorbed Se(IV) inhibited the Fe(II)-catalyzed recrystallization of ferrihydrite to goethite. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that pH and the presence of Se(IV) had significant impacts on the morphology of the produced goethite. Approximately 30-75% adsorbed Se(IV) transformed to phosphate-unextractable form, indicating that the adsorbed Se transformed to more stable phase during the recrystallization of Fh. The XANES results indicated that a small fraction of Se(IV) was reduced to elemental Se. Our study demonstrated that the stability of adsorbed Se(IV) on ferrihydrite could be enhanced during Fe(II)-catalytic transformation of Fh under anoxic environments.

Long-term stability of the Fe(III)-As(V) coprecipitates: Effects of neutralization mode and the addition of Fe(II) on arsenic retention

The coprecipitation of arsenic with Fe(III) by lime neutralization is widely used in industrial practices to treat arsenic-containing waste waters generated from mineral processing operations. In this work, coprecipitation was conducted directly at pH 8 to simulate the operations in hydrometallurgical practices, which differed from the conventional laboratory operations. Moreover, although ferric is the major species of iron in arsenic-containing waste waters, the coexistence of ferrous ions cannot be ignored. Therefore, the effect of different neutralization modes, as well as the effect of ferrous ions on the removal of arsenic and the stability of the generated arsenic-bearing wastes, was systematically investigated. The result showed that arsenic was still released back into the liquid phase under alkaline conditions even for the samples formed directly at alkaline pH. It was found that the extra addition of Fe(II) may exert negative effect on the stability of the as-formed Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V) coprecipitates at pH 7 - 10. The concentration of ferrous ions in the liquid/solid phase decreased with increasing pH for each sample formed at different Fe(II)/Fe(tot). The results indicated that complete oxidation of the ferrous ions before coprecipitation with arsenic should be conducted to achieve optimal stability of the arsenic-bearing wastes for hydrometallurgical practice and waste disposal.

The long-term stability of FeIII-AsV coprecipitates at pH 4 and 7: Mechanisms controlling the arsenic behavior

Hydrometallurgical Fe^III-As^V coprecipitates, which are amorphous in nature, could re-crystallize gradually and pose risks of contamination to the environment. However, the mechanisms controlling the As behavior when the Fe^III-As^V coprecipitates stored at different pHs is still not fully understood. This work systematically investigated the fate of As and the transformation process of the coprecipitates (Fe/As = ˜4) at different pHs and temperatures. XRD, EXAFS, HRTEM, and chemical extraction methods were employed to characterize the crystallinity degrees and the transformation products of the coprecipitates. The results showed that the coprecipitates are more stable at acidic pH than at neutral pH. For those samples aged at pH 4, the arsenic speciation includes poorly crystalline ferric arsenate (PCFA) and As adsorbed on 2-line ferrihydrite (Fh). Due to the presence of PCFA, the Fe/As molar ratio for the latter phase is much higher than the bulk Fe/As molar ratio (˜4 in this work) of the coprecipitates and controls As release. However, for those samples aged at pH 7, due to the fact that 2-line Fh is the major As-bearing phase, slight changes of the crystallinity degrees of 2-line Fh will trigger As release.

Catalytic pyrolysis coupling to enhanced dewatering of waste activated sludge using KMnO4Fe(II) conditioning for preparing multi-functional material to treat groundwater containing combined pollutants

Sewage sludge, the major by-product during the primary treatment and subsequent biotreatment of wastewater, is increasingly generated around the world. KMnO₄Fe(II) consists both oxidation properties of KMnO₄ and flocculation ability by in-situ formed Fe(III) and is widely used in water treatment. In this study, KMnO₄Fe(II) was used as chemical conditioners to synchronously improve sludge dewatering performance and catalyze the biomass pyrolysis of waste activated sludge for preparing multi-functional material to remedy arsenic containing groundwater. The results showed that the sludge dewaterability was significantly improved due to the moderate pre-oxidation of extracellular polymeric substances by KMnO₄, and then the sludge particles were re-flocculated by Fe(III) generated from KMnO₄Fe(II). The conditioned sludge cake was then utilized for preparing sludge-based carbon (Fe-Mn-SBC) which was systematically characterized. The surface area of Fe-Mn-SBC was characteristic of high surface area (100.08 m²/g) which had a great adsorption capacity on arsenic. Besides, Fe-Mn-SBC could effectively oxidize As(III) to As(V), and addition of low dose of H₂O₂ can further improve total arsenic removal due to catalytic peroxidation of Fe-Mn-SBC. Besides, it was found that the presence of humic acid could inhibit the hydroxy iron formation and compete for the active adsorption sites and then resulted in the decrease in arsenic removal, and the co-existing humic acid could also be removed by adsorption of Fe-Mn-SBC. This work proposed a novel sludge treatment process by combining enhanced sludge dewatering with catalytic pyrolysis for preparing multi-functional materials, and they are promising in treatment of water containing combined pollutants.

Model-Based Interpretation of Groundwater Arsenic Mobility during in Situ Reductive Transformation of Ferrihydrite

Arsenic (As) release and mobility in groundwater is coupled to the iron (Fe) cycling and the associated transformation of Fe-oxides present in sediments. Recent in situ experiments have provided observations on arsenic mobilization and co-occurring reductive mineral transformation when placing As-loaded ferrihydrite-coated sand for 80 days in wells of an As-contaminated aquifer of Northern China. However, the complex temporal change in solid-associated arsenic and the multiple geochemical processes occurring when the flowing groundwater contacts the As-loaded ferrihydrite-coated sand hamper a detailed evaluation of the experimental data set. In this study, we develop a modeling approach that allows a quantitative interpretation of arsenic release and ferrihydrite transformation observed during the in situ experiments. The model accounts for the interplay of abiotic and biotic geochemical processes (i.e., surface complexation, reductive dissolution, formation of secondary iron minerals, and arsenic sequestration into the newly formed minerals) involved in the transformation of Fe-oxides and controlling arsenic mobility. The results show the capability of the proposed approach to reproduce the temporal trends of solid arsenic and ferrihydrite concentrations, as well as the spatial variability of mineral transformation, observed in different wells using a common set of surface complexation parameters and kinetic rate constants. The simulation outcomes allowed us to disentangle the specific contribution of the different mechanisms controlling the release of arsenic. It was possible to identify an initial rapid but minor release of As (13-23% of the initial surface concentration) due to desorption from ferrihydrite, as well as the reduction of adsorbed As(V) to As(III) upon contact with the flowing anoxic groundwater. Successively, reductive dissolution of ferrihydrite caused the decrease of the amount of the Fe mineral phase and led to a major depletion of solid-associated arsenic. The produced Fe(II) catalyzed the ferrihydrite conversion into more crystalline Fe(III) oxides (i.e., lepidocrocite and goethite) through Ostwald ripening, and resulted in the formation of siderite and mackinawite upon reaction with carbonates and sulfides naturally present in the groundwater. The model results also showed that, whereas the decrease in surface sites during reductive dissolution of ferrihydrite promoted arsenic mobilization, the mineral transformation limited As release through its sequestration into the newly formed secondary mineral phases.

Effect of bicarbonate and phosphate on arsenic release from mining-impacted sediments in the Cheyenne River watershed, South Dakota, USA

The mobilization of arsenic (As) from riverbank sediments affected by the gold mining legacy in north-central South Dakota was examined using aqueous speciation chemistry, spectroscopy, and diffraction analyses. Gold mining resulted in the discharge of approximately 109 metric tons of mine waste into Whitewood Creek (WW) near the Homestake Mine and Cheyenne River at Deal Ranch (DR), 241 km downstream. The highest concentrations of acid-extractable As measured from solid samples was 2020 mg kg-1 at WW and 385 mg kg-1 at DR. Similar sediment mineralogy between WW and DR was identified using XRD, with the predominance of alumino-silicate and iron-bearing minerals. Alkalinity measured in surface water at both sites ranged from 1000 to 2450 mg L-1 as CaCO3 (10-20 mM HCO3- at pH 7). Batch laboratory experiments were conducted under oxidizing conditions to evaluate the effects of NaHCO3 (0.2 mM and 20 mM) and NaH2PO3 (0.1 and 10 mM) on the mobilization of As. These ions are relevant for the site due to the alkaline nature of the river and nutrient mobilization from the ranch. The range of As(v) release with the NaHCO3 treatment was 17-240 μg L-1. However, the highest release (6234 μg L-1) occurred with 10 mM NaH2PO3, suggesting that As release is favored by competitive ion displacement with PO43- compared to HCO3-. Although higher total As was detected in WW solids, the As(v) present in DR solids was labile when reacted with NaHCO3 and NaH2PO3, which is a relevant finding for communities living close to the river bank. The results from this study aid in a better understanding of As mobility in surface water sites affected by the mining legacy.

The stability of Fe(III)-As(V) co-precipitate in the presence of ascorbic acid: Effect of pH and Fe/As molar ratio

The potential hazards of Fe(III)-As(V) co-precipitate under reducing conditions are incompletely known. This work investigated the effect of Fe(III) reduction by ascorbic acid (AH₂) on the stability of Fe(III)-As(V) co-precipitate at different pHs and Fe/As molar ratios. The results showed that As (14-98.9%) and Fe (27.9-99.3%) were significantly released into solution by 79.9-97.5% Fe(III) reduction of the co-precipitate (Fe/As molar ratios of 3 and 5) at pH 5-9. More As release was observed with the increase of pH (6-9) or decrease in Fe/As molar ratio (from 5 to 3). This could be attributed by oxalate, the final product of AH₂ decomposition, which strongly competed with As(V) for Fe(II) at higher pH or lower Fe/As molar ratio, inhibiting parasymplesite accumulation and then causing more As mobilization. The stability of Fe(III)-As(V) co-precipitate with AH₂ upon Fe(III) reduction was lower than that in oxic environment. Compared with produced Fe(II,III) (hydr)oxides in the presence of hydroquinone (QH₂), humboldtine was formed during the long-term reactions of Fe(III)-As(V) co-precipitate with AH₂. The findings of this study implied that parasymplesite and humboldtine as secondary solid products were environmental relevant and mainly responsible for As(V) and Fe(II) immobilization.

Impact of Organic Matter on Iron(II)-Catalyzed Mineral Transformations in Ferrihydrite-Organic Matter Coprecipitates

Poorly crystalline Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides like ferrihydrite are abundant in soils and sediments and are often associated with organic matter (OM) in the form of mineral-organic aggregates. Under anoxic conditions, interactions between aqueous Fe(II) and ferrihydrite lead to the formation of crystalline secondary minerals, like lepidocrocite, goethite, or magnetite. However, the extent to which Fe(II)-catalyzed mineral transformations are influenced by ferrihydrite-associated OM is not well understood. We therefore reacted ferrihydrite-PGA coprecipitates (PGA = polygalacturonic acid, C:Fe molar ratios = 0-2.5) and natural Fe-rich organic flocs (C:Fe molar ratio = 2.2) with 0.5-5.0 mM isotopically labeled ⁵⁷Fe(II) at pH 7 for 5 weeks. Relying on the combination of stable Fe isotope tracers, a novel application of the PONKCS method to Rietveld fitting of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, we sought to follow the temporal evolution in Fe mineralogy and elucidate the fate of adsorbed ⁵⁷Fe(II). At low C:Fe molar ratios (0-0.05), rapid oxidation of surface-adsorbed ⁵⁷Fe(II) resulted in ⁵⁷Fe-enriched crystalline minerals and nearly complete mineral transformation within days. With increasing OM content, the atom exchange between the added aqueous ⁵⁷Fe(II) and Fe in the organic-rich solids still occurred; however, XRD analysis showed that crystalline mineral precipitation was strongly inhibited. For high OM-content materials (C:Fe ≥ 1.2), Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed up to 39% lepidocrocite in the final Fe(II)-reacted samples. Because lepidocrocite was not detectable by XRD, we suggest that the Mössbauer-detected lepidocrocite consisted of nanosized clusters with lepidocrocite-like local structure, similar to the lepidocrocite found in natural flocs. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the C content of ferrihydrite-OM coprecipitates strongly impacts the degree and pathways of Fe mineral transformations and iron atom exchange during reactions with aqueous Fe(II).

Coupled Kinetics of Ferrihydrite Transformation and As(V) Sequestration under the Effect of Humic Acids: A Mechanistic and Quantitative Study

In natural environments, kinetics of As(V) sequestration/release is usually coupled with dynamic Fe mineral transformation, which is further influenced by the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Previous work mainly focused on the interactions between As(V) and Fe minerals. However, there is a lack of both mechanistic and quantitative understanding on the coupled kinetic processes in the As(V)-Fe mineral-NOM system. In this study, we investigated the effect of humic acids (HA) on the coupled kinetics of ferrihydrite transformation into hematite/goethite and sequestration of As(V) on Fe minerals. Time-resolved As(V) and HA interactions with Fe minerals during the kinetic processes were studied using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, chemical extractions, stirred-flow kinetic experiments, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Based on the experimental results, we developed a mechanistic kinetics model for As(V) fate during Fe mineral transformation. Our results demonstrated that the rates of As(V) speciation changes within Fe minerals were coupled with ferrihydrite transformation rates, and the overall reactions were slowed down by the presence of HA that sorbed on Fe minerals. Our kinetics model is able to account for variations of Fe mineral compositions, solution chemistry, and As(V) speciation, which has significant environmental implications for predicting As(V) behavior in the environment.

Nanospectroscopy Captures Nanoscale Compositional Zonation in Barite Solid Solutions

Scientists have long suspected that compositionally zoned particles can form under far-from equilibrium precipitation conditions, but their inferences have been based on bulk solid and solution measurements. We are the first to directly observe nanoscale trace element compositional zonation in <10 µm-sized particles using X-ray fluorescence nanospectroscopy at the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (HXN) Beamline at National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). Through high-resolution images, compositional zonation was observed in barite (BaSO₄) particles precipitated from aqueous solution, in which Sr²⁺ cations as well as HAsO₄^2- anions were co-precipitated into (Ba,Sr)SO₄ or Ba(SO₄,HAsO₄) solid solutions. Under high salinity conditions (NaCl ≥ 1.0 M), bands contained ~3.5 to ~5 times more trace element compared to the center of the particle formed in early stages of particle growth. Quantitative analysis of Sr and As fractional substitution allowed us to determine that different crystallographic growth directions incorporated trace elements to different extents. These findings provide supporting evidence that barite solid solutions have great potential for trace element incorporation; this has significant implications for environmental and engineered systems that remove hazardous substances from water.

Hydrothermal synthesis of a magnetic adsorbent from wasted iron mud for effective removal of heavy metals from smelting wastewater

A magnetic adsorbent (MA) was synthesized from wasted iron mud of a groundwater treatment plant using a novel one-step hydrothermal method. The results showed that Fe content of MA was 41.8 wt%, 2.5 times higher than that of iron mud, which was caused by hydrothermal dissolution of non-ferrous impurities under alkaline condition, such as quartz and albite, regardless of addition of ascorbic acid or not. Ferrihydrite was 92.7% in dry iron mud before adding ascorbic acid and gradually decreased to 58.1% by increasing the molar ratio of ascorbic acid to Fe following hydrothermal treatment. The strongest saturation magnetization of 16.29 emu/g was observed in the prepared MA-4 when the ascorbic acid to Fe molar ratio was 1. The highest surface site concentration of 1.31 mmol/g was observed in MA-2 when the ratio was 0.02. The mechanism of hydrothermal conversion of wasted iron mud to MA was reductive dissolution of ferrihydrite to form siderite, which was then reoxidized to maghemite. When 12.5 g/L of MA-2 was applied to treat smelting wastewater, over 99% removal of Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺ was achieved. The major mechanisms of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ adsorption by the adsorbent were cationic exchange.

Mechanisms of Se(IV) Co-precipitation with Ferrihydrite at Acidic and Alkaline Conditions and Its Behavior during Aging

Understanding the form of Se(IV) co-precipitated with ferrihydrite and its subsequent behavior during phase transformation is critical to predicting its long-term fate in a range of natural and engineered settings. In this work, Se(IV)-ferrihydrite co-precipitates formed at different pH were characterized with chemical extraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to determine how Se(IV) is associated with ferrihydrite. Results show that despite efficient removal, the mode and stability of Se(IV) retention in the co-precipitates varied with pH. At pH 5, Se(IV) was removed dominantly as a ferric selenite-like phase intimately associated with ferrihydrite, while at pH 10, it was mostly present as a surface species on ferrihydrite. Similarly, the behavior of Se(IV) and the extent of its retention during phase transformation varied with pH. At pH 5, Se(IV) remained completely associated with the solid phase despite the phase change, whereas it was partially released back into solution at pH 10. Regardless of this difference in behavior, TEM and XAS results show that Se(IV) was retained within the crystalline post-aging products and possibly occluded in nanopore and defect structures. These results demonstrate a potential long-term immobilization pathway for Se(IV) even after phase transformation. This work presents one of the first direct insights on Se(IV) co-precipitation and its behavior in response to iron phase transformations.

Iron oxide - clay composite vectors on long-distance transport of arsenic and toxic metals in mining-affected areas

Mine wastes from abandoned exploitations are sources of high concentrations of hazardous metal(oid)s. Although these contaminants can be attenuated by sorbing to secondary minerals, in this work we identified a mechanism for long-distance dispersion of arsenic and metals through their association to mobile colloids. We characterize the colloids and their sorbed contaminants using spectrometric and physicochemical fractionation techniques. Mechanical action through erosion may release and transport high concentrations of colloid-associated metal(oid)s towards nearby stream waters, promoting their dispersion from the contamination source. Poorly crystalline ferrihydrite acts as the principal As-sorbing mineral, but in this study we find that this nanomineral does not mobilize As independently, rather, it is transported as surface coatings bound to mineral particles, perhaps through electrostatic biding interactions due to opposing surface charges at acidic to circumneutral pH values. This association is very stable and effective in carrying along metal(oid)s in concentrations above regulatory levels. The unlimited source of toxic elements in mine residues causes ongoing, decades-long mobilization of toxic elements into stream waters. The ferrihydrite-clay colloidal composites and their high mobility limit the attenuating role that iron oxides alone show through adsorption of metal(oid)s and their immobilization in situ. This may have important implications for the potential bioavailability of these contaminants, as well as for the use of this water for human consumption.

Arsenate co-precipitation with Fe(II) oxidation products and retention or release during precipitate aging

The co-precipitation of arsenate (As(V)) with Fe(III)-precipitates is of great importance in water treatment and critically affects the fate of As in environmental systems. We studied the effects of dissolved phosphate (P; 0-1 mM), silicate (Si; 0 or 0.5 mM) and Ca (0, 0.5 and 4 mM) on the sequestration of 7 μM As(V) by Fe(III)-precipitates formed by the oxidation of 0.5 mM Fe(II) in aerated bicarbonate-buffered solutions with an initial pH of 7.0 as well as the retention or release of As(V) after precipitate aging for 30 d at 40 °C. Dissolved As(V) concentrations in fresh precipitate suspensions greatly varied as a function of the initial dissolved P/Fe ratio ((P/Fe)_init) and the concentrations of Ca and Si. Limited As(V) removal was observed at (P/Fe)_init that exceeded the critical ratio (P/Fe)_crit above which exclusively (Ca-)Fe(III)-phosphate forms. Effective As(V) removal was observed at (P/Fe)_init < (P/Fe)_crit, where initial formation of (Ca-)Fe(III)-phosphate is followed by the formation of Si-ferrihydrite in Si-containing electrolytes and of poorly-crystalline lepidocrocite and hydrous ferric oxide in the Si-free electrolytes. The retention of As(V) and P by fresh Fe(III)-precipitates was most effective in systems containing both Ca and Si. In the Si- and Ca-free electrolytes at (P/Fe)_init of ∼0.2-0.6, the rapid onset of precipitate aging with conversion of Fe(III)-phosphate to ferrihydrite resulted in a substantial remobilization of As(V) (up to 55% of initially precipitated As(V)). Ca reduced As remobilization during aging by stabilizing Ca-Fe(III)-phosphate and promoting Ca-phosphate formation, and Si by stabilizing Si-ferrihydrite against transformation. Consequently, also after aging, the lowest dissolved As(V) and P fractions were observed in precipitate suspensions containing both Ca and Si.

Trace element levels in an area impacted by old mining operations and their relationship with beehive products

The environmental status of an area impacted by Roman mining activities was assessed in order to establish the current risks posed by such old mine emplacements. For this purpose, soil samples were collected throughout the mining area and analysed for their total, mobile and mobilizable trace element (As, Cd, Mo, Sb and Zn) contents. Additionally, beehive products (honey and pollen) were also sampled and evaluated for their use as environmental indicators of the area. The results obtained were compared with those from a control non-polluted area. The mine soils presented slightly increased levels of Cd and Sb (about 2- to -3-fold their normal soil concentrations), whereas the enrichment of As reached considerable levels, with concentrations almost ten-fold of those considered the threshold for causing toxicity. Leachable As contents exhibited very high values (1.2-21.9mgkg^-1), indicating the need for risk attenuation measures. All trace elements were mainly partitioned in the soil residual fraction, especially Mo (76-99%) and Sb (61-91%). Significant partitioning levels were also found in the reducible fraction of As (up to 35%) and Cd (up to 38%), and in the oxidizable fraction of Mo (up to 23%). The reducible pool of As was particularly relevant due to the eventual mobilization of this element under reducing conditions. Among the beehive products tested, honey proved not to be useful as an environmental indicator, whereas pollen showed great potential as an indicator when the contamination levels were moderate to high.

Effect of iron reduction by enolic hydroxyl groups on the stability of scorodite in hydrometallurgical industries and arsenic mobilization

Scorodite (FeAsO₄·2H₂O) is an important arsenic-bearing solid waste in hydrometallurgical industries, but its stability in reducing environments is not well understood. This study investigated the effect of Fe(III) reduction by enolic hydroxyl groups on the stability of scorodite and arsenic mobilization at various pH values and ascorbic acid/scorodite molar ratios (AH₂/Sc). The results showed that 47-89% Fe(III) reduction by ascorbic acid caused approximately 10-69% (~ 37-260 mg L^-1) arsenic release and 4.5-63% (~ 13-176 mg L^-1) Fe(II) release at pH 5-8. The releases of arsenic and Fe(II) increased with increasing AH₂/Sc, whereas they decreased as pH increased. The results of the solid characterization and chemical analysis indicated that the mixture of poorly crystalline parasymplesite and probably amorphous FeHAsO₄⋅xH₂O was the new arsenic sink. The high solubility of this ferrous arsenate with the Fe(II)/As(V) molar ratio > 1 was deemed to be a major contributor to the relatively high arsenic release. This work differed from our previous finding that almost all arsenic was retained in the solid phase after similar Fe(III) reduction in scorodite with hydroquinone. Phenolic hydroxyl groups complexed with aqueous Fe(II), unlike enolic hydroxyl groups, was possibly the dominant reason for the formation of different secondary minerals, which strongly influenced arsenic redistribution between aqueous and solid phases.

The influence of hydrous ferric oxide, earthworms, and a hypertolerant plant on arsenic and iron bioavailability, fate, and transport in soils

Historic applications of lead arsenate pesticides and smelting activities have resulted in elevated concentrations of arsenic in Washington State soils. For example, old orchard topsoils in Washington have concentrations reaching upwards of 350 mg As/kg soil with an estimated 187,590 acres of arsenic contamination from pesticide application alone. Iron oxides have been indicated as a key factor in modulating the fate and transport of arsenic in the soil environment. We employed a factorial design to investigate the role of a specific iron oxide, hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), and terrestrial organisms on the mobility, bioavailability, and fate of arsenic and iron in locally collected soils. Earthworms in soils amended with both arsenic and HFO had 47.2 % lower arsenic tissue concentrations compared to those in soils only amended with arsenic. Similarly, arsenic leachate concentrations and plant tissue concentrations were lower when HFO was present, although this was with a reduced magnitude and was not consistently significant. A lack of significance of HFO in three of the linear models for leachate and plant bioavailability, however, indicates that the role of HFO in arsenic mobility, bioavailability, and fate is more complicated than can be explained by the simple addition or not of HFO. For example, our analyses showed that earthworms decreased pH and increased bioavailability for both arsenic and iron as demonstrated by increases in leachate and plant tissue concentrations. The mechanisms for this could include a biotransformation of earthworm-ingested arsenic combined with an earthworm-induced change in pH. We also found that arsenic amendments increased the mobility and bioavailability of iron, evidenced by increased iron concentrations in earthworms, plants, and leachate. A mechanistic explanation for this change in bioavailability is not readily apparent but does support a need for more work on bioavailability when mixtures are present. From these results, it is clear that a combination of biotic and abiotic factors influences metal/metalloid fate and transport in soils, with earthworms being one of the most important factors in our work. Study designs such as the factorial analysis can help to address the role each factor plays while efficiently generating new hypotheses and areas of inquiry; this approach can also bridge knowledge generated through reductionist and holistic approaches to complex environmental problems.

Iron(II)-Catalyzed Iron Atom Exchange and Mineralogical Changes in Iron-rich Organic Freshwater Flocs: An Iron Isotope Tracer Study

In freshwater wetlands, organic flocs are often found enriched in trace metal(loid)s associated with poorly crystalline Fe(III)-(oxyhydr)oxides. Under reducing conditions, flocs may become exposed to aqueous Fe(II), triggering Fe(II)-catalyzed mineral transformations and trace metal(loid) release. In this study, pure ferrihydrite, a synthetic ferrihydrite-polygalacturonic acid coprecipitate (16.7 wt % C), and As- (1280 and 1230 mg/kg) and organic matter (OM)-rich (18.1 and 21.8 wt % C) freshwater flocs dominated by ferrihydrite and nanocrystalline lepidocrocite were reacted with an isotopically enriched ⁵⁷Fe(II) solution (0.1 or 1.0 mM Fe(II)) at pH 5.5 and 7. Using a combination of wet chemistry, Fe isotope analysis, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, we followed the Fe atom exchange kinetics and secondary mineral formation over 1 week. When reacted with Fe(II) at pH 7, pure ferrihydrite exhibited rapid Fe atom exchange at both Fe(II) concentrations, reaching 76 and 89% atom exchange in experiments with 0.1 and 1 mM Fe(II), respectively. XAS data revealed that it transformed into goethite (21%) at the lower Fe(II) concentration and into lepidocrocite (73%) and goethite (27%) at the higher Fe(II) concentration. Despite smaller Fe mineral particles in the coprecipitate and flocs as compared to pure ferrihydrite (inferred from Mössbauer-derived blocking temperatures), these samples showed reduced Fe atom exchange (9-30% at pH 7) and inhibited secondary mineral formation. No release of As was recorded for Fe(II)-reacted flocs. Our findings indicate that carbohydrate-rich OM in flocs stabilizes poorly crystalline Fe minerals against Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation by surface-site blockage and/or organic Fe(II) complexation. This hinders the extent of Fe atom exchange at mineral surfaces and secondary mineral formation, which may consequently impair Fe(II)-activated trace metal(loid) release. Thus, under short-term Fe(III)-reducing conditions facilitating the fast attainment of solid-solution equilibria (e.g., in stagnant waters), Fe-rich freshwater flocs are expected to remain an effective sink for trace elements.

The effect of microbial sulfidogenesis on the stability of As-Fe coprecipitate with low Fe/As molar ratio under anaerobic conditions

The effect of microbial sulfidogenesis on As transformation and mobilization in solid phase with low Fe/As ratio is still not well known. In this study, microbial transformation and mobilization of As in the As-Fe coprecipitate with different sulfate levels were investigated using chemical extraction and K-edge XANES of As and S. Results showed that approximately 2.7, 24.4, and 83.7 % of total As were released into the aqueous phase in the low-, mid-, and high-sulfate treatments, respectively, indicating that the presence of large amounts of sulfate could enhance microbial arsenic mobilization in the As-Fe coprecipitate. In the low-sulfate treatment, As mobilization was primarily attributed to the reductive dissolution of the Fe (oxy)hydroxides and the As reduction and desorption. In the mid- and high-sulfate treatments, the reduction of arsenate and ferric iron was significantly enhanced. Complete ferric iron reduction was observed in the solid phase, implying that Fe (oxy)hydroxide was transformed to secondary minerals and may be the one of the primary causes for the enhanced As mobilization. Thermodynamic calculations predicted the formation of thioarsenite species after 35 days of incubation based on the concentration of dissolved As(III) and S(-II). Since thioarsenic species is more mobile, its formation may be one of the most important factors enhancing the As release in the high-sulfate system. The result of this study is of significance to completely predict the environmental behavior of As associated with Fe (hydr)oxides in the presence of microbial sulfidogenesis under anoxic conditions.

Aqueous arsenite removal by simultaneous ultraviolet photocatalytic oxidation-coagulation of titanium sulfate

This study explored the efficacy and efficiency of a simultaneous UV-catalyzed oxidation-coagulation process of titanium sulfate (UV/Ti(SO4)2) for efficient removal of As(III) from water. It revealed that, As(III) could be oxidized to As(V) during the UV catalyzed coagulation of Ti(SO4)2 with highly efficient As(III) removal in the pH range 4-6. The UV catalyzed oxidation-coagulation showed surprisingly effective oxidation of As(III) to As(V) within a short time. XPS indicated that 84.7% of arsenic on the coagulated precipitate was in the oxidized form of As(V) after the UV/Ti(SO4)2 treatment of As(III) aqueous solutions at pH 5. Arsenic remaining in solution at high pH was in the oxidized form As(V). Removal efficiencies of As(III) were investigated as a function of pH, Ti(SO4)2 dosage, initial As(III) concentration and irradiation energy. As(III) could almost completely be removed (>99%) by the photocatalytic oxidation-coagulation process with a moderate dose of Ti(SO4)2 in the pH range 4-6 at an initial arsenic concentration of 200 μg/L. The mechanisms of the photocatalytic coagulation oxidation of Ti(SO4)2 are similar to those of UV/crystalline TiO2 particles, involving the formation and reactions of the hydroxyl radical OH and superoxide HO2/O2(-).

Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China

Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73–0.86). Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation), Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation), Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation). Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41–95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.

Immobilization of arsenate in kaolinite by the addition of magnesium oxide: An experimental and modeling investigation

MgO was chosen as an As(V) immobilization agent and a series of immobilization experiments was performed to obtain insights into the behavior of As(V) and MgO during leaching tests. Our experimental and modeling results demonstrated that As(V) immobilization by MgO consists of the following steps: (i) an increase in sample pH, (ii) desorption of As(V) from the samples, and (iii) the re-immobilization of As(V) by MgO/Mg(OH)2 particles. Regarding the behavior of MgO, the modeling results showed that when the MgO dosage was 25 mgMgO/4 g-drysample or less, the majority of MgO was used to increase pH, and less than 1% of MgO was used to sorb As(V), which was consistent with the result of leaching tests showing that a high level of As(V) was leached at the MgO dosages. On the other hand, when the MgO dosage was above 25 mgMgO/4 g-drysample, the percentage of MgO used for As(V) sorption increased up to 35%, and correspondingly, the As(V) leaching level decreased to below 0.01 mgAs/L at an MgO dosage of 75 mgMgO/4 g-drysample. Additionally, when the MgO dosage was 50 mgMgO/4 g-drysample or more, it was found that more than 40% of MgO remained as fresh MgO without undergoing chemical reactions.

Effects of natural organic matter on the coprecipitation of arsenic with iron

Natural organic matter (NOM) can affect arsenic speciation and mobility in the environment. In this study, the effects of NOM on the coprecipitation of arsenic with iron were investigated in order to better understand the fate and transport of arsenic in natural environments. The coprecipitation of arsenic with iron was studied in the presence and absence of NOM under various arsenic-to-iron molar ratios (As/Fe) and pH conditions. The addition of humic acid (HA) hindered the As-Fe coprecipitation under high pH and high As/Fe conditions by forming a soluble As-Fe-HA complex. The X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared studies showed that the As-Fe-coprecipitated solid phase was highly affected by pH and As/Fe. The arsenic was coprecipitated with iron as an amorphous ferric arsenate phase at a low pH level or high As/Fe conditions, while the formation of ferrihydrite phase and the arsenic incorporation to the ferrihydrite by adsorption was predominant at high pH levels or low As/Fe conditions. The HA affected the As-Fe-coprecipitated solid phase depending on the As/Fe molar ratio under neutral and alkaline conditions.

Linking selective chemical extraction of iron oxyhydroxides to arsenic bioaccessibility in soil

The relationship between As bioaccessibility using the physiologically based extraction test (PBET) and As extracted by hydroxylamine hydrochloride (HH), targeting the dissolution of amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides, is established in soils from the British Geological Survey Geochemical Baseline Survey of SW England, UK, to represent low As background and high As mineralised/mined soils. The HH-extracted As was of the same order of magnitude as the As extracted in the bioaccessibility test and proved to be a better estimate of bioaccessible As than total As (bioaccessible As - total As: r = 0.955; bioaccessible As - HH-extracted As: r = 0.974; p-values = 0.000). These results provide a means of estimating soil As bioaccessibility on the basis of the HH extraction. Further selective extraction data, using hydrochloride acid that seeks to dissolve both amorphous and crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides, indicates a decrease in the As bioaccessible fraction with the increase of the soil Fe oxyhydroxide crystallinity.

Does ochre have the potential to be a remedial treatment for As-contaminated soils?

Ochre is an iron oxyhydroxide-rich waste that accumulates in water bodies associated with disused mines. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the potential of four different ochres to be used as remedial agents for As contaminated soils. The ochres removed As from solution (200 and 500 mg L(-1)) in adsorption experiments at pH 3 and 8 and, when added to As contaminated soil (5% w/w) significantly reduced As release to solution. In both these experiments the highest surface area ochres performed best. The impact of ochre amendments on uptake of As from soil by plants and humans and release of As to ground water was assessed in a year-long incubation study. Ochres increased soil pH and reduced CaCl2 extractable As but had no consistent effect on plant growth, plant As uptake or As extraction in physiologically-based extraction tests. Ochre may be better used for water treatment than soil remediation.

Effect of sample pretreatment on the fractionation of arsenic in anoxic soils

Using by sequential extraction procedures to obtain the chemical forms of arsenic in soils can provide useful information for the assessment of arsenic mobility and bioavailability in soils. However, sample pretreatments before the extraction probably have some effects on the fractionation of arsenic in soils. Impact of sample pretreatments (freeze-drying, oven-drying, air-drying, and the fresh soil) on the fractionation of arsenic in anoxic soils was investigated in this study. The results show that there are some differences for arsenic fractions in soils between by drying pretreatments and by the fresh soil, indicating that the redistribution among arsenic fractions in anoxic soils occurs after drying pretreatments. The redistribution of arsenic fractions in anoxic soils is ascribed to the oxidation of organic matter and sulfides, the crystallization of iron (hydr)oxides, the ageing process, and the diffusion of arsenic into micropores. The freeze-drying is the best drying method to minimize the effect on the fractionation of arsenic in anoxic soils, while air-drying is the worst one. Drying pretreatments are not recommended for the fractionation of arsenic in anoxic soils with high concentration of iron.

Different arsenate and phosphate incorporation effects on the nucleation and growth of iron(III) (Hydr)oxides on quartz

Iron(III) (hydr)oxides play an important role in the geochemical cycling of contaminants in natural and engineered aquatic systems. The ability of iron(III) (hydr)oxides to immobilize contaminants can be related to whether the precipitates form heterogeneously (e.g., at mineral surfaces) or homogeneously in solution. Utilizing grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), we studied heterogeneous iron(III) (hydr)oxide nucleation and growth on quartz substrates for systems containing arsenate and phosphate anions. For the iron(III) only system, the radius of gyration (Rg) of heterogeneously formed precipitates grew from 1.5 to 2.5 (± 1.0) nm within 1 h. For the system containing 10(-5) M arsenate, Rg grew from 3.6 to 6.1 (± 0.5) nm, and for the system containing 10(-5) M phosphate, Rg grew from 2.0 to 4.0 (± 0.2) nm. While the systems containing these oxyanions had more growth, the system containing only iron(III) had the most nucleation events on substrates. Ex situ analyses of homogeneously and heterogeneously formed precipitates indicated that precipitates in the arsenate system had the highest water content and that oxyanions may bridge iron(III) hydroxide polymeric embryos to form a structure similar to ferric arsenate or ferric phosphate. These new findings are important because differences in nucleation and growth rates and particle sizes will impact the number of available reactive sites and the reactivity of newly formed particles toward aqueous contaminants.

Removal of arsenate with hydrous ferric oxide coprecipitation: effect of humic acid

Insights from the adverse effect of humic acid (HA) on arsenate removal with hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) coprecipitation can further our understanding of the fate of As(V) in water treatment process. The motivation of our study is to explore the competitive adsorption mechanisms of humic acid and As(V) on HFO on the molecular scale. Multiple complementary techniques were used including macroscopic adsorption experiments, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, flow-cell attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) measurement, and charge distribution multisite complexation (CD-MUSIC) modeling. The As(V) removal efficiency was reduced from over 95% to about 10% with the increasing HA concentration to 25 times of As(V) mass concentration. The SERS analysis excluded the HA-As(V) complex formation. The EXAFS results indicate that As(V) formed bidentate binuclear surface complexes in the presence of HA as evidenced by an As-Fe distance of 3.26-3.31 angstroms. The in situ ATR-FTIR measurements show that As(V) replaces surface hydroxyl groups and forms innersphere complex. High concentrations of HA may physically block the surface sites and inhibit the As(V) access. The adsorption of As(V) and HA decreased the point of zero charge of HFO from 7.8 to 5.8 and 6.3, respectively. The CD-MUSIC model described the zeta potential curves and adsorption edges of As(V) and HA reasonably well.

Stable isotope fractionations during reactive transport of phosphate in packed-bed sediment columns

Characterizing reactivity and fate of contaminants in subsurface environments that are isolated from direct visualization is a major challenge. Stable isotopes coupled with concentration could be used as a potential tool to quantitatively analyze the chemical variability of the contaminant during reactive transport processes in the subsurface environment. This study was aimed at determining whether abiotic reactions of phosphate during its transport involve fractionation of oxygen isotopes in phosphate (δ(18)Op). It included the effects of solution chemistry and hydrodynamics on δ(18)Op values during phosphate transport through a packed-bed column prepared by using natural sediment collected from the Cape Cod aquifer in Massachusetts. Results show that the isotopic fractionation between effluent and influent phosphate at early stage of transport could be ~1.3‰ at higher flow rates with isotopically-light phosphate (P(16)O4) preferentially retained in the sediment column. This fractionation, however, decreased and became insignificant as more phosphate passed through the column. Mobilization of phosphate initially sorbed onto sediments caused a large kinetic isotopic fractionation with isotopically-light phosphate preferentially remobilized from the sediment column, but over longer time periods, this fractionation decreased and became insignificant as well. These results collectively suggest that abiotic reactive transport processes exert minimal influence on the δ(18)Op composition of subsurface systems. Alternatively, fluctuation in flow rate and subsequent remobilization of phosphate could be detectable through transient changes in δ(18)Op values. These findings extend the burgeoning application of δ(18)Op to identify the different sources and geochemical processes of phosphate in the subsurface environments.

Behavior of antimony(V) during the transformation of ferrihydrite and its environmental implications

In this study, we investigated the behavior of Sb(V) during the transformation of poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxides (two-line ferrihydrite) with various Sb/Fe molar ratios at pH 6.0. Both XRD and Fe EXAFS analyses confirmed that goethite and hematite are the primary transformation products of the ferrihydrite in the presence of Sb(V). The crystallization kinetics showed that the transformation rate with Sb(V) was approximately the same as that of the control (without Sb(V)), which indicates that the presence of Sb(V) does not influence the transformation rate to a noticeable extent. Throughout the transformation, Sb(V) dominantly partitioned in the solid phase and no desorption of Sb(V) was observed. Furthermore, Sb EXAFS analyses suggested that Sb(V) in the solid phase is structurally incorporated into crystalline goethite and/or hematite generated by the ferrihydrite transformation. Hence, Sb(V) transfers into the thermodynamically stable solids from the metastable ferrihydrite with aging, indicating a rigid immobilization of Sb(V). These findings are valuable for making predictions on the long-term fate of Sb associated with ferrihydrite in natural environments.

A mechanistic study of arsenate removal from artificially contaminated clay soils by electrokinetic remediation

Batch desorption experiments and bench-scale electrokinetic experiments were performed to elucidate the electrokinetic remediation mechanisms of arsenate from artificially contaminated kaolinite. The electrokinetic experiments in which a constant voltage was applied demonstrated that high soil pH favored arsenate remediation with respect to both the remediation time and electricity consumption. It was also demonstrated that applying a pulse voltage (1 h ON, 1 h OFF) significantly improved the electricity consumption efficiency when the soil pH was maintained at the initial value during the experiments; this trend was not observed when the soil pH was gradually increased from the cathode side. These electrokinetic experimental results, with the support of arsenate desorption data obtained from batch experiments, indicate that the remediation rate-limiting step varied with soil pH. When the soil pH was maintained at the initial value of 7.2 during the experiments, arsenate desorption was the remediation rate-limiting step rather than the migration of dissolved arsenate toward the anode. Conversely, when the cathode pH was not controlled and the soil pH was correspondingly increased gradually from the cathode side, the migration of hydroxyl and desorbed arsenate ions toward the anode played a more important role in the control of the overall remediation efficiency.

Decontamination of spent iron-oxide coated sand from filters used in arsenic removal

Sand filters devised with iron-rich adsorbents are extensively promoted and deployed in the arsenic-prone south and south-east Asian countries (e.g., Bangladesh). The approach offers superior performance in removing arsenic while the spent sludge from the sand filters is an issue of concern due to the possibility of toxic releases after being discarded. In this work, a new technique is proposed for the treatment of spent iron-oxide coated sand (IOCS) from filters used in arsenic removal. Chelant-washing of the arsenic-loaded IOCS is combined with the solid phase extraction treatment to accomplish the objective. The unique point of the proposed process is the cost-effective scheme, which includes the option of recycling of the washing solvent beside the decontamination of the spent arsenic-rich sludge.

Effectiveness of amendments on the spread and phytotoxicity of contaminants in metal-arsenic polluted soil

A metal-arsenic polluted soil from sulphide-mine waste was treated, in all possible combinations, with two different amounts of marble sludge (98% CaCO3), compost (41% organic carbon), and Byferrox (70% Fe). Lixiviate and pore water from each treated and untreated soil were analysed, and lettuce-seed bioassays were performed. None of the treatments decreased the electrical conductivity of lixiviates or the concentrations of all pollutants found in both solutions. Marble sludge and compost increased the pH values and decreased the zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead concentrations in both solutions while increasing the arsenic concentrations in the lixiviates. Byferrox did not alter the physicochemical parameters or the concentrations of zinc, cadmium, copper, or lead in either solution but significantly decreased the arsenic concentrations in pore water. Compared with the Byferrox treatment, the mixture of marble sludge and Byferrox decreased redox potential values, increasing the arsenic concentrations in both solutions and the electrical conductivity of the pore water. All lixiviates were highly phytotoxic and seeds did not germinate. Pore-water phytotoxicity was related to electrical conductivity values and heavy-metal concentrations. The combination of marble sludge and compost was most effective at diminishing toxicity in lettuce. The soils treated with Byferrox, alone or mixed with marble sludge or compost, were the most phytotoxic.

A novel two-step coprecipitation process using Fe(III) and Al(III) for the removal and immobilization of arsenate from acidic aqueous solution

Lime neutralization and coprecipitation of arsenate with iron is widely practiced for the removal and immobilization of arsenic from mineral processing effluents. However, the stability of the generated iron-arsenate coprecipitate is still of concern. In this work, we developed a two-step coprecipitation process involving the use of iron and aluminum and tested the stability of the resultant coprecipitates. The two-step Fe-As-Fe or Fe-As-Al coprecipitation process involved an initial Fe/As = 2 coprecipitation at pH4 to remove arsenic from water down to 0.25 mg/L, followed by introduction of iron or aluminum (Fe/As = 2, Al/As = 1.5 or 2). The two-step coprecipitates showed higher stability than traditional Fe/As = 4 coprecipitate under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Leaching stability was enhanced when aluminum was applied in the second step. The use of aluminum in the second step also inhibited microbial mediated arsenate reduction and arsenic remobilization. The results suggest that the two-step coprecipitation process is superior to conventional coprecipitation methods with respect to the stability of the generated arsenic-bearing solid waste. The use of Al in the second step is better than Fe to enhance the stability. This work may have important implications to the development of new technologies for efficient arsenic removal from hydrometallurgical solutions and safe disposal in both oxic and anoxic environment.

Natural attenuation of arsenic in soils near a highly contaminated historical mine waste dump

Arsenic-contaminated soils near historical As-rich mine waste in Jáchymov (Czech Rep.), resulting from the smelting and seepage of the mine waste pore water, were studied to examine As partitioning between solid phases and pore waters. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses showed that As is exclusively associated with unidentified amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides, poorly crystalline goethite and hematite as adsorbed and coprecipitated species (with up to 3.2 wt.% As). Adsorption of As by Fe oxyhydroxides is likely to be a major control on the migration of As in the soil pore water containing only up to 15 μg L(-1) As(V). The slight variations in the dissolved As(V) concentrations do not follow the total contents of As in the soil or adsorbed As, but appeared to be a function of pH-dependent sorption onto Fe oxyhydroxides. The geochemical modelling using PHREEQC-2 supported the efficiency of As(V) adsorption by Fe oxyhydroxides in the soil affected by As-rich waste solution seepage. It also suggested that active Fe oxyhydroxides has a strong attenuation capacity in soil that could effectively trap the aqueous As(V) from the unremitting waste seepage for the next approx. 11600 years.