Aerobic oxidation of mackinawite (FeS) and its environmental implication for arsenic mobilization

Oxidation of mackinawite (FeS) and concurrent mobilization of arsenic were investigated as a function of pH under oxidizing conditions. At acidic pH, FeS oxidation is mainly initiated by the proton-promoted dissolution, which results in the release of Fe(II) and sulfide in the solution. While most of dissolved sulfide is volatilized before being oxidized, dissolved Fe(II) is oxidized into green rust-like precipitates and goethite (α-FeOOH). At basic pH, the development of Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide coating on the FeS surface inhibits the solution-phase oxidation following FeS dissolution. Instead, FeS is mostly oxidized into lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) via the surface-mediated oxidation without dissolution. At neutral pH, FeS is oxidized via both the solution-phase oxidation following FeS dissolution and the surface-mediated oxidation mechanisms. The mobilization of arsenic during FeS oxidation is strongly affected by FeS oxidation mechanisms. At acidic pH (and to some extent at neutral pH), the rapid FeS dissolution and the slow precipitation of Fe (oxyhydr)oxides results in arsenic accumulation in water. In contrast, the surface-mediated oxidation of FeS at basic pH leads to the direct formation of Fe (oxyhydr)oxides, which provides effective adsorbents for As under oxic conditions. At acidic and neutral pH, the solution-phase oxidation of dissolved Fe(II) accelerates the oxidation of the less adsorbing As(III) to the more adsorbing As(V). This study reveals that the oxidative mobilization of As may be a significant pathway for arsenic enrichment of porewaters in sulfidic sediments.     

Release of arsenic associated with the reduction and transformation of iron oxides

The behaviour of trace amounts of arsenate coprecipitated with ferrihydrite, lepidocrocite and goethite was studied during reductive dissolution and phase transformation of the iron oxides using [⁵⁵Fe]- and [⁷³As]-labelled iron oxides. The As/Fe molar ratio ranged from 0 to 0.005 for ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite and from 0 to 0.001 for goethite. For ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite, all the arsenate remained associated with the surface, whereas for goethite only 30% of the arsenate was desorbable. The rate of reductive dissolution in 10 mM ascorbic acid was unaffected by the presence of arsenate for any of the iron oxides and the arsenate was not reduced to arsenite by ascorbic acid. During reductive dissolution of the iron oxides, arsenate was released incongruently with Fe²⁺ for all the iron oxides. For ferrihydrite and goethite, the arsenate remained adsorbed to the surface and was not released until the surface area became too small to adsorb all the arsenate. In contrast, arsenate preferentially desorbs from the surface of lepidocrocite. During Fe²⁺ catalysed transformation of ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite, arsenate became bound more strongly to the product phases. X-ray diffractograms showed that ferrihydrite was transformed into lepidocrocite, goethite and magnetite whereas lepidocrocite either remained untransformed or was transformed into magnetite. The rate of recrystallization of ferrihydrite was not affected by the presence of arsenate. The results presented here imply that during reductive dissolution of iron oxides in natural sediments there will be no simple correlation between the release of arsenate and Fe²⁺. Recrystallization of the more reactive iron oxides into more crystalline phases, induced by the appearance of Fe²⁺ in anoxic aquifers, may be an important trapping mechanism for arsenic.     

Influence of arsenic on iron sulfide transformations

The association of arsenate, As(V), and arsenite, As(III), with disordered mackinawite, FeS, was studied in sulfide-limited (Fe:S = 1:1) and excess-sulfide (Fe:S = 1:2) batch experiments. In the absence of arsenic, the sulfide-limited experiments produce disordered mackinawite while the excess-sulfide experiments yield pyrite with trace amounts of mackinawite. With increasing initially added As(V) concentrations the transformation of FeS to mackinawite and pyrite is retarded. At S:As = 1:1 and 2:1, elemental sulfur and green rust are the end products. As(V) oxidizes S(-II) in FeS and (or) in solution to S(0), and Fe(II) in the solid phase to Fe(III). Increasing initially added As(III) concentrations inhibit the transformation of FeS to mackinawite and pyrite and no oxidation products of FeS or sulfide, other than pyrite, were observed. At low arsenic concentrations, sorption onto the FeS surface may be the reaction controlling the uptake of arsenic into the solid phase. Inhibition of iron(II) sulfide transformations due to arsenic sorption suggests that the sorption sites are crucial not only as sorption sites, but also in iron(II) sulfide transformation mechanisms.     

Characterization of corrosion products in the permeable reactive barriers

 The impact of geochemical processes and microbial activity has been a major concern for the long-term performance of reactive iron barriers because corrosion products and precipitates during the water treatment with reactive materials will decrease the reactivity and permeability of the iron bed. This study characterizes corrosion products in reactive iron barrier as well as evaluates the effect of the iron corrosion products and precipitates on iron wall performance during contaminated-water treatment under varying conditions. Major phases in the reactive iron barrier include iron oxides, carbonates, iron sulfides, and elemental sulfur, depending on the degree of iron oxidation, groundwater chemistry, and microbial activity. Detailed geochemical and mineralogical characteristics are imperative for long-range predictions of the reactive iron wall performance on water treatment because the surface coating materials reduce the effectiveness of the zero-valent iron media. Received: 17 September 1999 · Accepted: 11 April 2000     

Microbial sulfidogenesis in ferrihydrite-rich environments: Effects on iron mineralogy and arsenic mobility

Microbial sulfidogenesis plays a potentially important role in Fe and As biogeochemistry within wetland soils, sediments and aquifers. This study investigates the specific effects of microbial sulfidogenesis on Fe mineralogy and associated As mobility in mildly acidic (pH 6) and mildly basic (pH 8) advective-flow environments. A series of experiments were conducted using advective-flow columns, with an initial solid-phase comprising As(III)-bearing ferrihydrite-coated quartz sand. Columns for each pH treatment were inoculated with the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris, and were compared to additional abiotic control columns. Over a period of 28 days, microbial sulfidogenesis (as coupled to the incomplete oxidation of lactate) caused major changes in Fe mineralogy, including replacement of ferrihydrite by mackinawite and magnetite at the in-flow end of the inoculated columns. At pH 8, the Fe²⁺ produced by electron transfer between sulfide and ferrihydrite was mainly retained near its zone of formation. In contrast, at pH 6, much of the produced Fe²⁺ was transported with advecting groundwater, facilitating the downstream Fe²⁺-catalyzed transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite. At both pH 6 and pH 8, the sulfide-driven reductive dissolution of ferrihydrite and its replacement by mackinawite at the in-flow end of the inoculated columns resulted in substantial mobilization of As into the pore-water. At pH 8, this caused the downstream As concentrations within the inoculated columns to be greater than the corresponding abiotic column. However, the opposite occurred under pH 6 conditions, with the Fe²⁺-catalyzed transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite in the inoculated columns causing a decrease in downstream As concentrations compared to the abiotic column. Although thermodynamically favorable at intermediate times and depth intervals within the inoculated columns, solid As sulfide phases were undetectable by As XANES spectroscopy. Our findings show that microbial sulfidogenesis can trigger significant As mobilization in subsurface environments with advective groundwater flow. The results also demonstrate that formation of mackinawite by sulfidization of ferric (hydr)oxides is not effective for the immobilization of As, whereas the Fe²⁺-catalyzed transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite under mildly acidic conditions may mitigate As mobility.     

磷灰石对湖泊沉积物中水铁矿稳定性的制约

通过在滇池开展原位实验,研究探讨了湖泊沉积物中磷灰石制约水铁矿分解和转化的机制,以及二者共存时的环境效应。结果表明:将水铁矿放置到沉积物中1个月,矿物保持稳定;放置时间达到3个月时,添加磷灰石实验中水铁矿发生了显著物相转变。冬天(12—2月)实验中,转化产物随深度的变化趋势为针铁矿+磁(赤)铁矿→针铁矿+纤铁矿→针铁矿;夏天(6—9月)实验中,转化产物随深度的变化趋势为针铁矿+纤铁矿+磁(赤)铁矿→针铁矿+纤铁矿→未转化。透射电镜分析结果显示冬天实验中生成的磁性铁氧化物为纳米磁铁矿和磁赤铁矿,夏天实验中产生的则主要为纳米磁铁矿。X射线光电子能谱分析结果显示冬天表层实验样品具有较高P含量。分析表明的湖泊沉积物中磷灰石促进水铁矿转化的过程为:(1)微生物促进磷灰石溶解;(2)磷灰石溶解释放的P促进铁还原菌生长;(3)铁还原菌促进水铁矿还原;(4)水铁矿还原产生的溶解态Fe²⁺催化水铁矿向针铁矿、纤铁矿和磁铁矿转化。冬天及沉积氧化-还原界面最适宜磷灰石分解菌和铁还原菌生长,水铁矿的转化和P释放能力也更强,相应地内源磷释放的风险也更大。     

Schwertmannite transformation to goethite via the Fe(II) pathway: Reaction rates and implications for iron-sulfide formation

Schwertmannite (Fe₈O₈(OH)₆SO₄) is a common Fe(III)-oxyhydroxysulfate mineral in acid-sulfate systems, where its formation and fate strongly influence water quality. The present study examines transformation of schwertmannite to goethite (FeOOH), as catalyzed by interactions with Fe(II) in anoxic aquatic environments. This study also evaluates the role of the Fe(II) pathway in influencing the formation of iron-sulfide minerals in such environments. At pH > 5, the rates of Fe(II)-catalyzed schwertmannite transformation were several orders of magnitude faster than transformation in the absence of Fe(II). Complete transformation of schwertmannite occurred within only 3-5 h at pH > 6 and Fe(II)_(aq) ? 5 mmol L⁻¹. Model calculations indicate that the Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation of schwertmannite to goethite greatly decreases the reactivity of the Fe(III) pool, thereby favoring SO₄-reduction and facilitating the formation of iron-sulfide minerals (particularly mackinawite, tetragonal FeS). Examination of in situ sediment geochemistry in an acid-sulfate system revealed that the rapid Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation was consistent with an abrupt shift from an acidic Fe(III)-reducing regime with abundant schwertmannite near the sediment surface, to a near-neutral mackinawite-forming regime where goethite was dominant. This study demonstrates that the Fe(II) pathway exerts a major influence on schwertmannite transformation and iron-sulfide formation in anoxic acid-sulfate systems. These findings have important implications for understanding acidity dynamics and trace element mobility in such systems.     

Ion activity products of iron sulfides in groundwaters: Implications from the Choshui fan-delta, Western Taiwan

Precipitation of iron sulfides is an important process in groundwater geochemistry because it reduces iron mobility in anaerobic aquifers. Iron sulfides occur in various allotropic forms such as amorphous FeS and pyrite, and their solubility products differ up to 13 orders of magnitude. However, few data for ion activity products (IAP) of iron sulfides defined by the equation: H⁺ + FeS_(S) = Fe²⁺ + HS^- in groundwater have been reported in the literature. We computed IAP values of iron sulfides for 46 groundwater samples from the Choshui fan-delta of Taiwan and 65 samples from other areas of the world. The mean of -log(IAP) values obtained for the 46 samples is 3.07 ± 0.34 (1σ), which is consistent with the solubility constant 3.00 ± 0.12 (Davison et al., 1999) of amorphous FeS, implying that the anaerobic aquifers in the Choshui fan-delta are still undergoing active sulfate-reduction processes and keeping the groundwater saturated with amorphous FeS.We suggest that the −logKsp value 3.91 of amorphous FeS adopted in the databases for WATEQF and PHREEQC computer programs ought to be revised to 3.00. Otherwise, the saturation indices (SI) calculated by the two computer programs will be an order of magnitude too high.     

天然地下水环境四氯乙烯的强化生物降解

采用批实验方法, 以天然地下水为基础培养液, 利用在实验室条件下培养驯化的微生物, 以醋酸作为共代谢基质, 加入酵母粉提供氮源, 研究了四氯乙烯(PCE) 的降解效果.研究表明, 通过强化影响PCE降解的某些因素, 在20℃的地下水环境中, PCE可以很快转化为三氯乙烯(TCE), 并可以进一步转化为二氯乙烯(DCEs), 但没有检测到DCEs的脱氯产物.PCE的脱氯速率为0.1848d-1, 半衰期为3.75d.亦研究了低温环境下PCE的降解效果.结果表明, 在低温环境下, PCE也可以发生生物降解, 但是脱氯速率相对较慢, 为0.0761d-1, 半衰期为9.11d, 且终产物为TCE.      

Contrasting effects of Al substitution on microbial reduction of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides

Aluminum, one of the most abundant elements in soils and sediments, is commonly found co-precipitated with Fe in natural Fe(III) (hydr)oxides; yet, little is known about how Al substitution impacts bacterial Fe(III) reduction. Accordingly, we investigated the reduction of Al substituted (0-13 mol% Al) goethite, lepidocrocite, and ferrihydrite by the model dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterium (DIRB), Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Here we reveal that the impact of Al on microbial reduction varies with Fe(III) (hydr)oxide type. No significant difference in Fe(III) reduction was observed for either goethite or lepidocrocite as a function of Al substitution. In contrast, Fe(III) reduction rates significantly decreased with increasing Al substitution of ferrihydrite, with reduction rates of 13% Al-ferrihydrite more than 50% lower than pure ferrihydrite. Although Al substitution changed the minerals’ surface area, particle size, structural disorder, and abiotic dissolution rates, we did not observe a direct correlation between any of these physiochemical properties and the trends in bacterial Fe(III) reduction. Based on projected Al-dependent Fe(III) reduction rates, reduction rates of ferrihydrite fall below those of lepidocrocite and goethite at substitution levels equal to or greater than 18 mol% Al. Given the prevalence of Al substitution in natural Fe(III) (hydr)oxides, our results bring into question the conventional assumptions about Fe (hydr)oxide bioavailability and suggest a more prominent role of natural lepidocrocite and goethite phases in impacting DIRB activity in soils and sediments.     

The mechanism of cadmium surface complexation on iron oxyhydroxide minerals

Many sediment and soil systems have become significantly contaminated with cadmium, and earth scientists are now required to make increasingly accurate predictions of the risks that this contamination poses. This necessitates an improved understanding of the processes that control the mobility and bioavailability of cadmium in the environment. With this in mind, we have studied the composition and structure of aqueous cadmium sorption complexes on the iron oxyhydroxide minerals goethite (α-FeOOH), lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH), akaganeite (β-FeOOH), and schwertmannite (Fe₈O₈(OH)₆SO₄) using extended X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy. The results show that adsorption to all of the studied minerals occurs via inner sphere adsorption over a wide range of pH and cadmium concentrations. The bonding mechanism varies between minerals and appears to be governed by the availability of different types of adsorption site at the mineral surface. The geometry and relative stability of cadmium adsorption complexes on the goethite surface was predicted with ab initio quantum mechanical modelling. The modelling results, used in combination with the extended X-ray adsorption fine structure data, allow an unambiguous determination of the mechanism by which cadmium bonds to goethite.Cadmium adsorbs to goethite by the formation of bidentate surface complexes at corner sharing sites on the predominant (110) crystallographic surface. There is no evidence for significant cadmium adsorption to goethite at the supposedly more reactive edge sharing sites. This is probably because the edge sharing sites are only available on the (021) crystallographic surface, which comprises just ∼2% of the total mineral surface area. Conversely, cadmium adsorption on lepidocrocite occurs predominately by the formation of surface complexes at bi- and/or tridentate edge sharing sites. We explain the difference in extended X-ray adsorption fine structure results for cadmium adsorption on goethite and lepidocrocite by the greater availability of reactive edge sharing sites on lepidocrocite than on goethite. The structures of cadmium adsorption complexes on goethite and lepidocrocite appear to be unaffected by changes in pH and surface loading. There is no support for cadmium sorption to any of the studied minerals via the formation of an ordered precipitate, even at high pH and high cadmium concentration. Cadmium adsorption on akaganeite and schwertmannite also occurs via inner sphere bonding, but the mechanism(s) by which this occurs remains ambiguous.     

Surface chemistry of disordered mackinawite (FeS)

Disordered mackinawite, FeS, is the first formed iron sulfide in ambient sulfidic environments and has a highly reactive surface. In this study, the solubility and surface chemistry of FeS is described. Its solubility in the neutral pH range can be described by K_s^app = {Fe²⁺} · {H₂S(aq)} · {H⁺}⁻² = 10^+4.87±0.27. Acid-base titrations show that the point of zero charge (PZC) of disordered mackinawite lies at pH ∼7.5. The hydrated disordered mackinawite surface can be best described by strongly acidic mono-coordinated and weakly acidic tricoordinated sulfurs. The mono-coordinated sulfur site determines the acid-base properties at pH < PZC and has a concentration of 1.2 × 10⁻³ mol/g FeS. At higher pH, the tricoordinated sulfur, which has a concentration of 1.2 × 10⁻³ mol/g FeS, determines surface charge changes. Total site density is 4 sites nm⁻². The acid-base titration data are used to develop a surface complexation model for the surface chemistry of FeS.     

Mobilization of arsenic and iron from Red River floodplain sediments, Vietnam

Sediments from the Red River and from an adjacent floodplain aquifer were investigated with respect to the speciation of Fe and As in the solid phase, to trace the diagenetic changes in the river sediment upon burial into young aquifers, and the related mechanisms of arsenic release to the groundwater. Goethite with subordinate amounts of hematite were, using Mössbauer spectroscopy, identified as the iron oxide minerals present in both types of sediment. The release kinetics of Fe, As, Mn and PO₄ from the sediment were investigated in leaching experiments with HCl and 10 mM ascorbic acid, both at pH 3. From the river sediments, most of the Fe and As was mobilized by reductive dissolution with ascorbic acid while HCl released very little Fe and As. This suggests As to be associated with an Fe-oxide phase. For oxidized aquifer sediment most Fe was mobilized by ascorbic acid but here not much As was released. However, the reduced aquifer sediments contained a large pool of Fe(II) and As that is readily leached by HCl, probably derived from an unidentified authigenic Fe(II)-containing mineral which incorporates As as well. Extraction with ascorbic acid indicates that the river sediments contain both As(V) and As(III), while the reduced aquifer sediment almost exclusively releases As(III). The difference in the amount of Fe(II) leached from river and oxidized aquifer sediments by ascorbic acid and HCl, was attributed to reductive dissolution of Fe(III). The reactivity of this pool of Fe(III) was quantified by a rate law and compared to that of synthetic iron oxides. In the river mud, Fe(III) had a reactivity close to that of ferrihydrite, while the river sand and oxidized aquifer sediment exhibited a reactivity ranging from lepidocrocite or poorly crystalline goethite to hematite. Mineralogy by itself appears to be a poor predictor of the iron oxide reactivity in natural samples using the reactivity of synthetic Fe-oxides as a reference. Sediments were incubated, both unamended and with acetate added, and monitored for up to 2 months. The river mud showed the fastest release of both Fe and As, while the effect of acetate addition was minor. This suggests that the presence of reactive organic carbon is not rate limiting. In the case of the river and aquifer sediments, the release of Fe and As was always stimulated by acetate addition and here reactive organic carbon was clearly the rate limiting factor. The reduced aquifer sediment apparently can sustain slower but prolonged microbially-driven release of As. The highly reactive pools of Fe(III) and As in the river mud could be due to reoxidation of As and Fe contained in the reducing groundwater from the floodplain aquifers that are discharging into the river. Deposition of the suspended mud on the floodplain during high river stages is proposed to be a major flux of As onto the floodplain and into the underlying aquifers.     

Arsenic mobility in the ambient sulfidic environment: Sorption of arsenic(V) and arsenic(III) onto disordered mackinawite

Arsenate, As(V), sorption onto synthetic iron(II) monosulfide, disordered mackinawite (FeS), is fast. As(V) sorption decreases above the point of zero surface charge of FeS and follows the pH-dependent concentration of positively charged surface species. No redox reaction is observed between the As(V) ions and the mineral surface over the time span of the experiments. This observation shows that As(V) dominantly forms an outer-sphere complex at the surface of mackinawite. Arsenite, As(III), sorption is not strongly pH-dependent and can be expressed by a Freundlich isotherm. Sorption is fast, although slower than that of As(V). As(III) also forms an outer-sphere complex at the surface of mackinawite. In agreement with previous spectroscopic studies, complexation at low As(V) and As(III) concentration occurs preferentially at the mono-coordinated sulfide edge sites. The K_d (L g⁻¹) values obtained from linear fits to the isotherm data are ∼9 for As(V) and ∼2 for As(III). Stronger sorption of As(V) than As(III), and thus a higher As(III) mobility, may be reflected in natural anoxic sulfidic waters when disordered mackinawite controls arsenic mobility.     

Reductive transformation of iron and sulfur in schwertmannite-rich accumulations associated with acidified coastal lowlands

We examined the transformations of Fe and S associated with schwertmannite (Fe₈O₈(OH)₆SO₄) reduction in acidified coastal lowlands. This was achieved by conducting a 91 day diffusive-flux column experiment, which involved waterlogging of natural schwertmannite- and organic-rich soil material. This experiment was complemented by short-term batch experiments utilizing synthetic schwertmannite. Waterlogging readily induced bacterial reduction of schwertmannite-derived Fe(III), producing abundant pore-water Fe^II, SO₄ and alkalinity. Production of alkalinity increased pH from pH 3.4 to pH ∼6.5 within the initial 14 days, facilitating the precipitation of siderite (FeCO₃). Interactions between schwertmannite and Fe^II at pH ∼6.5 were found, for the first time, to catalyse the transformation of schwertmannite to goethite (αFeOOH). Thermodynamic calculations indicate that this Fe^II-catalysed transformation shifted the biogeochemical regime from an initial dominance of Fe(III)-reduction to a subsequent co-occurrence of both Fe(III)- and SO₄-reduction. This lead firstly to the formation of elemental S via H₂S oxidation by goethite, and later also to formation of nanoparticulate mackinawite (FeS) via H₂S precipitation with Fe^II. Pyrite (FeS₂) was a quantitatively insignificant product of reductive Fe and S mineralization. This study provides important new insights into Fe and S geochemistry in settings where schwertmannite is subjected to reducing conditions.     

Experimental concentration-time curves for the iron(II) sulphide precipitation process in aqueous solutions and their interpretation

The first precipitate formed through the reaction between aqueous Fe(II) salts and dissolved sulphide at ambient temperatures and pH < 9, appears to be a highly disordered gel approaching the composition Fe(HS)₂ on a water-free basis. After 0.4 s this precipitate loses sulphide and amorphous FeS begins to appear. The mackinawite structure begins to develop after several hours.

The rate of formation of the initial precipitate can be approximated by a pseudo first-order reaction, directly dependent on total sulphide concentration and with an apparent pseudo first-order rate constant of 48 ± 9 s⁻¹. Dissolved Fe concentration does not appear to be rate limiting.

The estimated solubility of the initial phase is variable but consistently one to two orders of magnitude greater than the measured solubilities for amorphous FeS. In natural systems this may lead to variable Fe(II) solubilities in sulphidic environments. This initial material may play a more central role in iron sulphide reaction pathways than either mackinawite or amorphous FeS.     

Computer simulation of deep sulfate reduction in sediments of the Amazon Fan

 Pore water concentration profiles of sediments at a site on the Amazon Fan were investigated and simulated with the numerical model CoTReM (column transport and reaction model) to reveal the biogeochemical processes involved. The pore water profiles for gravity core GeoB 4417-7 showed a distinct sulfate–methane transition zone in which deep sulfate reduction occurs. Only a small sulfide peak could be observed at the reaction zone. Due to high amounts of iron minerals, the produced sulfide is instantaneously precipitated in form of iron sulfides. We present a simulation which starts from a steady state system with respect to pore water profiles for methane and sulfate. Furthermore, sulfide, iron, pH, pE, calcium and total inorganic carbon (TIC) were included in the simulation. The program calculated mineral equilibria to mackinawite, iron sulfides (more stable than mackinawite), iron hydroxides and calcite via saturation indices (SI) by a module incorporating the program PHREEQC (Parkhurst 1995). The measured sulfide and iron profiles are obtained in the simulation output by using a constant SI (=0) for mackinawite and calcite, while a depth dependent SI distribution is applied for the PHREEQC phases “Pyrite” and “Fe(OH)3(a)”, representing a composition and the kinetics of different iron sulfides and iron hydroxides. These SI distributions control the results of sulfide and iron pore water profiles, especially conserving the sulfide profile at the reaction zone during the simulation. The results suggest that phases of iron hydroxides are dissolved, mackinawite is precipitated within, and other iron sulfides are precipitated below the reaction zone. The chemical reactivity of iron hydroxides corresponds to the rate of sulfide production. The system H₂O–CO₂–CaCO₃ is generally successfully maintained during the simulation. Deviations to the measured pH profile suggest that further processes are active which are not included in the simulation yet. Received: 9 November 1998 / Accepted: 26 October 1999     

四氯乙烯在不同地下水环境的生物共代谢降解

四氯乙烯是地下水中常见的污染物,采用生物方法进行处理的优点是可以实现无害化、无二次污染、处理成本低。四氯乙烯只能在厌氧条件下发生还原脱氯,目前对产甲烷环境下四氯乙烯的降解研究较多,而对较弱还原环境,如反硝化、铁锰还原和硫酸盐还原环境下四氯乙烯的脱氯行为研究甚少。本文采用批实验,研究了在不同地下水环境,包括反硝化、铁还原、硫酸盐还原、混合电子受体和天然地下水环境下四氯乙烯的脱氯性能。结果表明,铁还原环境的四氯乙烯脱氯效果最好,天然地下水环境次之,四氯乙烯的去除率分别达到91.34%和84.71%,四氯乙烯很快转化为三氯乙烯,并可以进一步转化为二氯乙烯,四氯乙烯的降解符合准一级反应动力学方程。在反硝化、硫酸盐还原、混合电子受体环境,四氯乙烯的去除以挥发为主,降解只占很小的比例,且最终的降解产物只有三氯乙烯。地下水中三价铁的存在,对于四氯乙烯脱氯起促进作用;而当地下水中硝酸盐和硫酸盐的浓度较高时,四氯乙烯脱氯受到抑制。     

The effect of silica and natural organic matter on the Fe(II)-catalysed transformation and reactivity of Fe(III) minerals

The Fe(II)-catalysed transformation of synthetic schwertmannite, ferrihydrite, jarosite and lepidocrocite to more stable, crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxides is prevented by high, natural concentrations of Si and natural organic matter (NOM). Adsorption isotherms demonstrate that Si adsorbs to the iron minerals investigated and that increasing amounts of adsorbed Si results in a decrease in isotope exchange between aqueous Fe(II) and the Fe(III) mineral. This suggests that the adsorption of Si inhibits the direct adsorption of Fe(II) onto the mineral surface, providing an explanation for the inhibitory effect of Si on the Fe(II)-catalysed transformation of Fe(III) minerals. During the synthesis of lepidocrocite and ferrihydrite, the presence of equimolar concentrations of Si and Fe resulted in the formation of 2-line ferrihydrite containing co-precipitated Si in both cases. Isotope exchange experiments conducted with this freeze-dried Si co-precipitated ferrihydrite species (Si-ferrihydrite) demonstrated that the rate and extent of isotope exchange between aqueous Fe(II) and solid ⁵⁵Fe(III) was very similar to that of 2-line ferrihydrite formed in the absence of Si and which had not been allowed to dry. In contrast to un-dried ferrihydrite formed in the absence of Si, Si-ferrihydrite did not transform into a more crystalline Fe(III) mineral phase over the 7-day period of investigation. Reductive dissolution studies using ascorbic acid demonstrated that both dried Si-ferrihydrite and un-dried 2-line ferrihydrite were very reactive, suggesting these species may be major contributors to the rapid release of dissolved iron following flooding and the onset of conditions conducive to reductive dissolution in acid sulphate soil environments.     

硝酸根对颗粒状铁降解三氯乙烯的影响(英文)

为研究硝酸根对颗粒状铁降解三氯乙烯的影响,进行了柱实验和相应的反应铁腐蚀电位测定。在硝酸根离子存在条件下,铁的腐蚀电位相应升高,系统条件也因之发生变化,导致钝性的铁氧化物在铁表面生成。因而,三氯乙烯和硝酸根离子降解速率明显减小, 并且降解速率减小的程度与硝酸根离子的浓度成比例。当污染液流过反应柱时,硝酸根离子与铁反应, 被还原为氨根离子。该反应造成硝酸根离子的浓度梯度,使钝化区在柱中上移,从而影响了三氯乙烯的降解曲线。与三氯乙烯单独与铁反应相比,当含4 7 mg/L硝酸根的三氯乙烯溶液流经反应柱170 孔隙体积后,降解50% 三氯乙烯所需的时间(t50) 从小于4 h增加到大于10 h;而当三氯乙烯溶液中加入100 mg/L硝酸根离子,仅17 孔隙体积溶液流经反应柱后,三氯乙烯降解t50就已大于14 h。研究结果表明,由于硝酸根离子对铁的腐蚀电位和铁表面氧化膜的不利作用,在处理靶污染物为高浓度硝酸根离子和三氯乙烯共同污染的地下水时,铁渗透反应隔栅不是最佳选择。如果靶污染物中硝酸根离子浓度比较低,则在设计铁隔栅时应考虑到硝酸根离子造成的不利因素,相应增加铁墙的厚度,从而确保三氯乙烯的降解效果。