Kinetics of coupled Fe(II)-catalysed ferrihydrite transformation and U(VI) reduction
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Date
2011-10-01
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Publisher
Mineralogical Society of Greate Britian & Ireland
Abstract
Antimony is released into the environment in some natural and man-induced processes. [1]. Yet, its impact on the transformation processes of heavy metal-adsorbing minerals remains poorly understood. In acid-mine drainage systems and shooting ranges, the adsorption of antimony by iron oxides such as ferrihydrite can play a major role. The poorly crystalline 2-line ferrihydrite represents one of the most common Fe oxides in these settings and can transform to goethite (,-FeOOH) or hematite (,-Fe2O3) with time [2]. The rate of transformation depends on the pH, temperature, and on the ions and molecules present during the transformation process [3]. This study focuses on the transformation of synthetic ferrihydrite to crystalline iron oxides in the presence of Sb(V). Transformations were carried out for 1-16 days at 70 ºC and at pH 4, 7 and 12, with different concentrations of Sb(V) (0.00, 0.23, 0.75, 2.25 and 6.00 mM Sb). Samples taken from aqueous suspensions were washed, dried, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic
absorption spectroscopy (AAS). At pH 12, goethite (Sb concentrations up to 3.7 mg Sb/g) is favored and the transformation is completed after one day. Only a concentration of 6 mM Sb retarded the transformation, where even after 8 days only 50 % of the ferrihydrite was transformed into goethite. Transformations at pH 7 led to a mixture of 75 % hematite and 25 % goethite (4.3 mg Sb/g). However, at concentrations of 6 mM Sb, feroxyhyte (!-FeOOH) (9.1 mg Sb/g) was favored instead. At pH 4, hematite (32.3 mg Sb/g) was favored except for concentrations of 6 mM Sb, were again feroxyhyte (141.1 mg Sb/g) occurred. We assume that increased Sb concentrations favor feroxyhyte and indicate the incorporation of Sb into the structure of feroxyhyte. © The Authors
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Keywords
Environment, Antimony, Metals, Heavy metals, Adsorption, Minerals, Acid mine drainage, Iron oxides, Oxides
Citation
Boland, D. D., Collins, R. N., Glover, C. J., Payne. T. E., & Waite, T. D. (2011). Kinetics of coupled Fe(II)-catalysed ferrihydrite transformation and U(VI) reduction. Paper presented at the at Goldschmidt, Prague, Czech Republic, 14 August 2011 - 19 August 2011.