Speciation and mobility of antimony and arsenic in a highly contaminated freshwater system and the influence of extreme drought conditions

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorDoherty, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTighe, MKen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMilan, LAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLisle, Len_AU
dc.contributor.authorLeech, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohannessen, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorMitchell, VDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHamilton, JLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJohnston, SGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilson, SCen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-03T05:11:21Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-04-03T05:11:21Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-12-22en_AU
dc.date.statistics2025-03-27en_AU
dc.description.abstractEnvironmental context Toxicity and mobility of antimony and arsenic in aqueous systems are largely determined by their speciation and redox chemistry. In a highly contaminated freshwater system, one antimony species (dissolved SbV) dominated, while dissolved arsenic was more responsive to environmental conditions. Arsenic (as AsV) increased significantly during a drought period; this increase in As mobility presents a threat for first flush events and water contamination in a changing climate. Abstract Aqueous and solid-state antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) speciation is assessed in an Australian freshwater system contaminated by mining of primary sulfide minerals. The study aims to understand metalloid transformation and mobilisation in the system, and coincides with a severe drought providing the opportunity to examine the influence of extreme low-flow conditions. X-ray absorption spectra identified only SbV in <2 mm sediments, despite boulder size stibnite evident in the creek. Roméite-group minerals were detected by X-ray diffraction in oxidation rims of creek-bed stibnite, which potentially limit the contribution of dissolved SbIII to the waterway. Arsenic in <2 mm sediments was dominated by AsV (17–91 %) and orpiment (16–93 %), while the co-occurrence of AsIII (11–36 %) with orpiment suggests that primary As minerals are an important ongoing source of AsIII to the system. Dissolved metalloids (<45 µm filtered) dominated total water column concentrations and comprised mainly pentavalent species. Arsenic(III) was however identified in most water samples (up to 6.6 µg L−1), while dissolved SbIII was only detected in one sample (3.4 µg L−1) collected during the drought period. Dissolved AsV increased significantly in samples collected in low-flow conditions, considered a result of reductive dissolution of sediment Fe-oxyhydroxide host phases, but a similar increase in dissolved Sb was not observed. This study highlights a greater risk from As in this system, and the likelihood of increased As mobility under the warmer and drier environmental conditions predicted with climate change, especially during first-flush events.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationDoherty, S., Tighe, M. K., Milan, L. A., Lisle, L., Leech, C., Johannessen, B., Mitchell, V., Hamilton, J., Johnston, S. G., & Wilson, S. C. (2021). Speciation and mobility of antimony and arsenic in a highly contaminated freshwater system and the influence of extreme drought conditions. Environmental Chemistry, 18(7), 321-333. doi:10.1071/EN21103en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1448-2517en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1449-8979en_AU
dc.identifier.issue7en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleEnvironmental Chemistryen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination321-333en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1071/en21103en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/16116en_AU
dc.identifier.volume18en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherCSIRO Publishingen_AU
dc.subjectGeochemistryen_AU
dc.subjectDroughtsen_AU
dc.subjectAntimonyen_AU
dc.subjectArsenicen_AU
dc.subjectChemical stateen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectFresh wateren_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectMiningen_AU
dc.subjectSemimetalsen_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectHydrologyen_AU
dc.titleSpeciation and mobility of antimony and arsenic in a highly contaminated freshwater system and the influence of extreme drought conditionsen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
dcterms.dateAccepted2021-11-01en_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.66 KB
Format:
Plain Text
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles