Adsorption and surface oxidation of Fe(II) on metal (hydr)oxides

The Fe(II) adsorption by non-ferric and ferric (hydr)oxides has been analyzed with surface complexation modeling. The CD model has been used to derive the interfacial distribution of charge. The fitted CD coefficients have been linked to the mechanism of adsorption. The Fe(II) adsorption is discussed for TiO₂, γ-AlOOH (boehmite), γ-FeOOH (lepidocrocite), α-FeOOH (goethite) and HFO (ferrihydrite) in relation to the surface structure and surface sites. One type of surface complex is formed at TiO₂ and γ-AlOOH, i.e. a surface-coordinated Fe²⁺ ion. At the TiO₂ (Degussa) surface, the Fe²⁺ ion is probably bound as a quattro-dentate surface complex. The CD value of Fe²⁺ adsorbed to γ-AlOOH points to the formation of a tridentate complex, which might be a double edge surface complex. The adsorption of Fe(II) to ferric (hydr)oxides differs. The charge distribution points to the transfer of electron charge from the adsorbed Fe(II) to the solid and the subsequent hydrolysis of the ligands that coordinate to the adsorbed ion, formerly present as Fe(II). Analysis shows that the hydrolysis corresponds to the hydrolysis of adsorbed Al(III) for γ-FeOOH and α-FeOOH. In both cases, an adsorbed M(III) is found in agreement with structural considerations. For lepidocrocite, the experimental data point to a process with a complete surface oxidation while for goethite and also HFO, data can be explained assuming a combination of Fe(II) adsorption with and without electron transfer. Surface oxidation (electron transfer), leading to adsorbed Fe(III)(OH)₂, is favored at high pH (pH > ∼7.5) promoting the deprotonation of two Fe_III-OH₂ ligands. For goethite, the interaction of Fe(II) with As(III) and vice versa has been modeled too. To explain Fe(II)-As(III) dual-sorbate systems, formation of a ternary type of surface complex is included, which is supposed to be a monodentate As(III) surface complex that interacts with an Fe(II) ion, resulting in a binuclear bidentate As(III) surface complex.     

Control of Fe(III) site occupancy on the rate and extent of microbial reduction of Fe(III) in nontronite

A quantitative study was performed to understand how Fe(III) site occupancy controls Fe(III) bioreduction in nontronite by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. NAu-1 and NAu-2 were nontronites and contained Fe(III) in different structural sites with 16 and 23% total iron (w/w), respectively, with almost all iron as Fe(III). Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that Fe(III) was present in the octahedral site in NAu-1 (with a small amount of goethite), but in both the tetrahedral and the octahedral sites in NAu-2. Mössbauer data further showed that the octahedral Fe(III) in NAu-2 existed in at least two environments- trans (M1) and cis (M2) sites. The microbial Fe(III) reduction in NAu-1 and NAu-2 was studied in batch cultures at a nontronite concentration of 5 mg/mL in bicarbonate buffer with lactate as the electron donor. The unreduced and bioreduced nontronites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the presence of an electron shuttle, anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), the extent of bioreduction was 11%-16% for NAu-1 but 28%-32% for NAu-2. The extent of reduction in the absence of AQDS was only 5%-7% for NAu-1 but 14%-18% for NAu-2. The control experiments with heat killed cells and without cells did not show any appreciable reduction (<2%). The extent of reduction in experiments performed with a dialysis membrane to separate cells from clays (without AQDS) was 2%-3% for NAu-1 but 5%-7% for NAu-2, suggesting that cells probably released an electron shuttling compound and/or Fe(III) chelator. The reduction rate was also faster in NAu-2 than that in NAu-1. Mössbauer data of the bioreduced nontronite materials indicated that the Fe(III) reduction in NAu-1 was mostly from the presence of goethite, whereas the reduction in NAu-2 was due to the presence of the tetrahedral and trans-octahedral Fe(III) in the structure. The measured aqueous Fe(II) was negligible. As a result of bioreduction, the average nontronite particle thickness remained nearly the same (from 2.1 to 2.5 nm) for NAu-1, but decreased significantly from 6 to 3.5 nm for NAu-2 with a concomitant change in crystal size distribution. The decrease in crystal size suggests reductive dissolution of nontronite NAu-2, which was supported by aqueous solution chemistry (i.e., aqueous Si). These data suggest that the more extensive Fe(III) bioreduction in NAu-2 was due to the presence of the tetrahedral and the trans-octahedral Fe(III), which was presumed to be more reducible. The biogenic Fe(II) was not associated with biogenic solids or in the aqueous solution. We infer that it may be either adsorbed onto surfaces of nontronite particles/bacteria or in the structure of nontronite. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that natural nontronite clays were capable of supporting cell growth even in medium without added nutrients, possibly due to presence of naturally existing nutrients in the nontronite clays. These results suggest that crystal chemical environment of Fe(III) is an important determinant in controlling the rate and extent of microbial reduction of Fe(III) in nontronite.     

Adsorption of zinc on colloidal (hydr)oxides of Si,Al and Fe in the presence of a fulvic acid

The adsorption of Zn (total concentration 10⁻⁶ M) to colloidal quartz, hydrargillite and goethite (50, 300 and 70 mg/l, respectively) was studied by a batch technique at a constant ionic strength (0.01 M) but with variation of pH (3–10) and fulvic acid (FA) concentration (0, 2 or 20 mg/l). The adsorption had similar pH-dependence in all systems in the absence of FA giving a pH₅₀ (pH of 50% adsorption) of 7.6 under these conditions. The presence of the FA reduced the overall adsorption to quartz (pH₅₀ of 7.9 at 2 mg FA/I and 9.3 at 20 mg/1) and shifted the adsorption curves downwards (pH₅₀ of 6.8) in the hydrargillite and goethite systems at 2 mg FA/l. At 20 mg FA/l, the adsorption in the two latter systems was increased at pH <6.5 and reduced at pH >6.5. The results reflect the affinity of the surfaces for FA as well as the formation of Zn–FA complexes (in solution and on solid surfaces).     

Release ofRa from uranium mill tailings by microbial Fe(III) reduction

Uranium mill tailings were anaerobically incubated in the presence of H₂ with Alteromonas putrefaciens, a bacterium known to couple the oxidation of H₂ and organic compounds to the reduction of Fe(III) oxides. There was a direct correlation between the extent of Fe(III) reduction and the accumulation of dissolved²²⁶Ra. In sterile tailings in which Fe(III) was not reduced, there was negligible leaching of²²⁶Ra. The behavior of Ba was similar to that of Ra in inoculated and sterile systems. These results demonstrate that under anaerobic conditions, microbial reduction of Fe(III) may result in the release of dissolved²²⁶Ra from uranium mill tailings.     

Reductive biotransformation of Fe in shale-limestone saprolite containing Fe(III) oxides and Fe(II)/Fe(III) phyllosilicates

A <2.0-mm fraction of a mineralogically complex subsurface sediment containing goethite and Fe(II)/Fe(III) phyllosilicates was incubated with Shewanella putrefaciens (strain CN32) and lactate at circumneutral pH under anoxic conditions to investigate electron acceptor preference and the nature of the resulting biogenic Fe(II) fraction. Anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), an electron shuttle, was included in select treatments to enhance bioreduction and subsequent biomineralization. The sediment was highly aggregated and contained two distinct clast populations: (i) a highly weathered one with “sponge-like” internal porosity, large mineral crystallites, and Fe-containing micas, and (ii) a dense, compact one with fine-textured Fe-containing illite and nano-sized goethite, as revealed by various forms of electron microscopic analyses. Approximately 10-15% of the Fe(III)_TOT was bioreduced by CN32 over 60 d in media without AQDS, whereas 24% and 35% of the Fe(III)_TOT was bioreduced by CN32 after 40 and 95 d in media with AQDS. Little or no Fe²⁺, Mn, Si, Al, and Mg were evident in aqueous filtrates after reductive incubation. Mössbauer measurements on the bioreduced sediments indicated that both goethite and phyllosilicate Fe(III) were partly reduced without bacterial preference. Goethite was more extensively reduced in the presence of AQDS whereas phyllosilicate Fe(III) reduction was not influenced by AQDS. Biogenic Fe(II) resulting from phyllosilicate Fe(III) reduction remained in a layer-silicate environment that displayed enhanced solubility in weak acid. The mineralogic nature of the goethite biotransformation product was not determined. Chemical and cryogenic Mössbauer measurements, however, indicated that the transformation product was not siderite, green rust, magnetite, Fe(OH)₂, or Fe(II) adsorbed on phyllosilicate or bacterial surfaces. Several lines of evidence suggested that biogenic Fe(II) existed as surface associated phase on the residual goethite, and/or as a Fe(II)-Al coprecipitate. Sediment aggregation and mineral physical and/or chemical factors were demonstrated to play a major role on the nature and location of the biotransformation reaction and its products.     

Characterization of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides in arsenic contaminated soil under various redox conditions by XAFS and Mössbauer spectroscopies

Characterization of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides in soils near the Ichinokawa mine was conducted using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and Mössbauer spectroscopies, and the structural changes were correlated with the release of As into pore-water. The Eh values decreased monotonically with depth. Iron is mainly present as poorly-ordered Fe(III) (hydr)oxides, such as ferrihydrite, over a wide redox range (from Eh = 360 to −140 mV). Structural details of the short-range order of these Fe(III) (hydr)oxides were examined using Mössbauer spectroscopy by comparing the soil phases with synthesized ferrihydrite samples having varying crystallinities. The crystallinity of the soil Fe (hydr)oxides decreased slightly with depth and Eh. Thus, within the redox range of this soil profile, ferrihydrite dominated, even under very reducing conditions, but the crystalline domain size, and, potentially, particle size, changed with the variation in Eh. In the soil–water system examined here, where As concentration and the As(III)/As(V) ratio in soil water increased with depth, ferrihydrite persisted and maintained or even enhanced its capacity for As retention with increased reducing conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that As release from these soils largely depends on the transformation of As(V) to As(III) rather than reductive dissolution of Fe(III) (hydr)oxide.     

Structural constraints of ferric (hydr)oxides on dissimilatory iron reduction and the fate of Fe(II)

Due to the strong reducing capacity of ferrous Fe, the fate of Fe(II) following dissimilatory iron reduction will have a profound bearing on biogeochemical cycles. We have previously observed the rapid and near complete conversion of 2-line ferrihydrite to goethite (minor phase) and magnetite (major phase) under advective flow in an organic carbon-rich artificial groundwater medium. Yet, in many mineralogically mature environments, well-ordered iron (hydr)oxide phases dominate and may therefore control the extent and rate of Fe(III) reduction. Accordingly, here we compare the reducing capacity and Fe(II) sequestration mechanisms of goethite and hematite to 2-line ferrihydrite under advective flow within a medium mimicking that of natural groundwater supplemented with organic carbon. Introduction of dissolved organic carbon upon flow initiation results in the onset of dissimilatory iron reduction of all three Fe phases (2-line ferrihydrite, goethite, and hematite). While the initial surface area normalized rates are similar (∼10⁻¹¹ mol Fe(II) m⁻² g⁻¹), the total amount of Fe(III) reduced over time along with the mechanisms and extent of Fe(II) sequestration differ among the three iron (hydr)oxide substrates. Following 16 d of reaction, the amount of Fe(III) reduced within the ferrihydrite, goethite, and hematite columns is 25, 5, and 1%, respectively. While 83% of the Fe(II) produced in the ferrihydrite system is retained within the solid-phase, merely 17% is retained within both the goethite and hematite columns. Magnetite precipitation is responsible for the majority of Fe(II) sequestration within ferrihydrite, yet magnetite was not detected in either the goethite or hematite systems. Instead, Fe(II) may be sequestered as localized spinel-like (magnetite) domains within surface hydrated layers (ca. 1 nm thick) on goethite and hematite or by electron delocalization within the bulk phase. The decreased solubility of goethite and hematite relative to ferrihydrite, resulting in lower Fe(III)_aq and bacterially-generated Fe(II)_aq concentrations, may hinder magnetite precipitation beyond mere surface reorganization into nanometer-sized, spinel-like domains. Nevertheless, following an initial, more rapid reduction period, the three Fe (hydr)oxides support similar aqueous ferrous iron concentrations, bacterial populations, and microbial Fe(III) reduction rates. A decline in microbial reduction rates and further Fe(II) retention in the solid-phase correlates with the initial degree of phase disorder (high energy sites). As such, sustained microbial reduction of 2-line ferrihydrite, goethite, and hematite appears to be controlled, in large part, by changes in surface reactivity (energy), which is influenced by microbial reduction and secondary Fe(II) sequestration processes regardless of structural order (crystallinity) and surface area.     

Biogenic uraninite precipitation and its reoxidation by iron(III) (hydr)oxides: A reaction modeling approach

One option for immobilizing uranium present in subsurface contaminated groundwater is in situ bioremediation, whereby dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria and/or sulfate-reducing bacteria are stimulated to catalyze the reduction of soluble U(VI) and precipitate it as uraninite (UO₂). This is typically accomplished by amending groundwater with an organic electron donor. It has been shown, however, that once the electron donor is entirely consumed, Fe(III) (hydr)oxides can reoxidize biogenically produced UO₂, thus potentially impeding cleanup efforts. On the basis of published experiments showing that such reoxidation takes place even under highly reducing conditions (e.g., sulfate-reducing conditions), thermodynamic and kinetic constraints affecting this reoxidation are examined using multicomponent biogeochemical simulations, with particular focus on the role of sulfide and Fe(II) in solution. The solubility of UO₂ and Fe(III) (hydr)oxides are presented, and the effect of nanoscale particle size on stability is discussed. Thermodynamically, sulfide is preferentially oxidized by Fe(III) (hydr)oxides, compared to biogenic UO₂, and for this reason the relative rates of sulfide and UO₂ oxidation play a key role on whether or not UO₂ reoxidizes. The amount of Fe(II) in solution is another important factor, with the precipitation of Fe(II) minerals lowering the Fe⁺² activity in solution and increasing the potential for both sulfide and UO₂ reoxidation. The greater (and unintuitive) UO₂ reoxidation by hematite compared to ferrihydrite previously reported in some experiments can be explained by the exhaustion of this mineral from reaction with sulfide. Simulations also confirm previous studies suggesting that carbonate produced by the degradation of organic electron donors used for bioreduction may significantly increase the potential for UO₂ reoxidation through formation of uranyl carbonate aqueous complexes.     

Influence of biogenic Fe(II) on the extent of microbial reduction of Fe(III) in clay minerals nontronite, illite, and chlorite

Microbial reduction of Fe(III) in clay minerals is an important process that affects properties of clay-rich materials and iron biogeochemical cycling in natural environments. Microbial reduction often ceases before all Fe(III) in clay minerals is exhausted. The factors causing the cessation are, however, not well understood. The objective of this study was to assess the role of biogenic Fe(II) in microbial reduction of Fe(III) in clay minerals nontronite, illite, and chlorite. Bioreduction experiments were performed in batch systems, where lactate was used as the sole electron donor, Fe(III) in clay minerals as the sole electron acceptor, and Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 as the mediator with and without an electron shuttle (AQDS). Our results showed that bioreduction activity ceased within two weeks with variable extents of bioreduction of structural Fe(III) in clay minerals. When fresh CN32 cells were added to old cultures (6 months), bioreduction resumed, and extents increased. Thus, cessation of Fe(III) bioreduction was not necessarily due to exhaustion of bioavailable Fe(III) in the mineral structure, but changes in cell physiology or solution chemistry, such as Fe(II) production during microbial reduction, may have inhibited the extent of bioreduction. To investigate the effect of Fe(II) inhibition on CN 32 reduction activity, a typical bioreduction process (consisting of lactate, clay, cells, and AQDS in a single tube) was separated into two steps: (1) AQDS was reduced by cells in the absence of clay; (2) Fe(III) in clays was reduced by biogenic AH₂DS in the absence of cells. With this method, the extent of Fe(III) reduction increased by 45-233%, depending on the clay mineral involved. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed a thick halo surrounding cell surfaces that most likely resulted from Fe(II) sorption/precipitation. Similarly, the inhibitory effect of Fe(II) sorbed onto clay surfaces was assessed by presorbing a certain amount of Fe(II) onto clay surfaces followed by AH₂DS reduction of Fe(III). The reduction extent consistently decreased with an increasing amount of presorbed Fe(II). The relative reduction extent [i.e., the reduction extent normalized to that when the amount of presorbed Fe(II) was zero] was similar for all clay minerals studied and showed a systematic decrease with an increasing clay-presorbed Fe(II) concentration. These results suggest a similar inhibitory effect of clay-sorbed Fe(II) for different clay minerals. An equilibrium thermodynamic model was constructed with independently estimated parameters to evaluate whether the observed cessation of Fe(III) reduction by AH₂DS was due to exhaustion of reaction free energy. Model-calculated reduction extents were, however, over 50% higher than experimentally measured, indicating that other factors, such as blockage of the electron transfer chain and mineralogy, restricted the reduction extent. Another important result of this study was the relative reducibility of Fe(III) in different clays: nontronite > chlorite > illite. This order was qualitatively consistent with the differences in the crystal structure and layer charge of these minerals.     

Chromium oxidation by manganese (hydr)oxides in a California aquifer

There are increasing concerns with elevated levels of Cr(VI) in the environment because it is a strong oxidant, corrosive, and carcinogenic. The concerns extend to the presence of Cr(VI) in many aquifers in California and elsewhere, where relatively high levels have been attributed to both industrial pollution and natural processes. The authors have, therefore, determined if natural redox processes contribute to the presence of high Cr(VI) concentrations (6–36 μg L⁻¹) in an aquifer in central California relative to non-detectable concentrations (<0.1 μg L⁻¹) in an adjacent aquifer. Specifically, the distribution and the redox speciation of dissolved (<0.45 μm) Cr have been compared with those of particulate Mn and Fe oxy-hydroxides in sediments, using X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Mn and Fe L-edges. The analyses show a correlation between the presence of dissolved Cr(VI) and Mn (hydr)oxide minerals, which are the only common, naturally occurring minerals known to oxidize Cr(III) in laboratory experiments. This covariance substantiates the results of those experiments and previous field studies that indicate natural oxidation mechanisms might account for the relatively high levels of Cr(VI) in the study site, as well as for elevated concentrations in other aquifers with similar biogeochemical conditions.     

Surface complexation of arsenic(V) to iron(III) (hydr)oxides: structural mechanism from ab initio molecular geometries and EXAFS spectroscopy

Arsenic(V), as the arsenate (AsO₄)³⁻ ion and its conjugate acids, is strongly sorbed to iron(III) oxides (α-Fe₂O₃), oxide hydroxides (α-,γ-FeOOH) and poorly crystalline ferrihydrite (hydrous ferric oxide). The mechanism by which arsenate complexes with iron oxide hydroxide surfaces is not fully understood. There is clear evidence for inner sphere complexation but the nature of the surface complexes is controversial. Possible surface complexes between AsO₄ tetrahedra and surface FeO₆ polyhedra include bidentate corner-sharing (²C), bidentate edge-sharing (²E) and monodentate corner-sharing (¹V). We predicted the relative energies and geometries of AsO₄-FeOOH surface complexes using density functional theory calculations on analogue Fe₂(OH)₂(H₂O)_nAsO₂(OH)₂³⁺ and Fe₂(OH)₂(H₂O)_nAsO₄⁺ clusters. The bidentate corner-sharing complex is predicted to be substantially (55 kJ/mole) more favored energetically over the hypothetical edge-sharing bidentate complex. The monodentate corner-sharing (¹V) complex is very unstable. We measured EXAFS spectra of 0.3 wt. % (AsO₄)³⁻ sorbed to hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), goethite(α-FeOOH), lepidocrocite(γ-FeOOH) and ferrihydrite and fit the EXAFS directly with multiple scattering. The phase-shift-corrected Fourier transforms of the EXAFS spectra show peaks near 2.85 and 3.26 Å that have been attributed by previous investigators to result from ²E and ²C complexes. However, we show that the peak near 2.85 Å appears to result from As-O-O-As multiple scattering and not from As-Fe backscatter. The observed 3.26 Å As-Fe distance agrees with that predicted for the bidentate corner-sharing surface (²C) complex. We find no evidence for monodentate (¹V) complexes; this agrees with the predicted high energies of such complexes.     

Ni isotope fractionation during coprecipitation of Fe(III)(oxyhydr)oxides in Si solutions

The dramatic decline in aqueous Ni concentrations in the Archean oceans during the Great Oxygenation Event is evident in declining solid phase Ni concentrations in Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) at the time. Several experiments have been performed to identify the main removal mechanisms of Ni from seawater into BIFs, whereby adsorption of Ni onto ferrihydrites has shown to be an efficient process. Ni isotopic measurements have shown limited isotopic fraction during this process, however, most experiments have been conducted in simple solutions containing varying proportions of dissolved Fe and Ni as NO₃ salts, as opposed to Cl salts which are dominant in seawater. Further, Archean oceans were, before the advent of siliceous eukaryotes, likely saturated with amorphous Si as seen in the interlayered chert layers within BIFs. Despite Si being shown to greatly affect the Ni elemental partitioning onto ferrihydrite solids, no studies have been made on the effects of Si on the Ni isotope fractionation. Here we report results of multiple coprecipitation experiments where ferrihydrite precipitated in mixed solutions with Ni and Si. Ni concentrations in the experiments ranged between 200 and 4000 nM for fixed concentrations of Si at either 0, 0.67 or 2.2 mM. The results show that Si at these concentrations has a limited effect on the Ni isotope fractionation during coprecipitation of ferrihydrite. At 0.67 mM, the saturation concentration of cristobalite, the isotopic fractionation factors between the precipitating solid and experimental fluid are identical to experiments not containing Si (0.34 ± 0.17‰). At 2.2 mM Si, and the saturation concentration of amorphous silica, however, the Ni isotopic composition of the ferrihydrite solids deviate to more negative values and show a larger variation than at low or no Si, and some samples show fractionation of up to 0.5‰. Despite this seemingly more unstable fractionation behaviour, the combined results indicate that even at as high concentrations of Si as 2.2 mM, the δ⁶⁰Ni values of the forming ferrihydrites does not change much. The results of our study implicate that Si may not be a major factor in fractionating stable Ni isotopes, which would make it easier to interpret future BIF record and reconstruct Archean ocean chemistry.     

Selenium isotope fractionation during reduction by Fe(II)-Fe(III) hydroxide-sulfate (green rust)

We have determined the extent of Se isotope fractionation induced by reduction of selenate by sulfate interlayered green rust (GR_SO4), a Fe(II)-Fe(III) hydroxide-sulfate. This compound is known to reduce selenate to Se(0), and it is the only naturally relevant abiotic selenate reduction pathway documented to date. Se reduction reactions, when they occur in nature, greatly reduce Se mobility and bioavailability. Se stable isotope analysis shows promise as an indicator of Se reduction, and Se isotope fractionation by various Se reactions must be known in order to refine this tool. We measured the increase in the ⁸⁰Se/⁷⁶Se ratio of dissolved selenate as lighter isotopes were preferentially consumed during reduction by GR_SO4. Six different experiments that used GR_SO4 made by two methods, with varying solution compositions and pH, yielded identical isotopic fractionations. Regression of all the data yielded an instantaneous isotope fractionation of 7.36 ± 0.24‰. Selenate reduction by GR_SO4 induces much greater isotopic fractionation than does bacterial selenate reduction. If selenate reduction by GR_SO4 occurs in nature, it may be identifiable on the basis of its relatively large isotopic fractionation.     

Al(III) and Fe(III) binding by humic substances in freshwaters, and implications for trace metal speciation

Published experimental data for Al(III) and Fe(III) binding by fulvic and humic acids can be explained approximately by the Humic Ion-Binding Model VI. The model is based on conventional equilibrium reactions involving protons, metal aquo ions and their first hydrolysis products, and binding sites ranging from abundant ones of low affinity, to rare ones of high affinity, common to all metals. The model can also account for laboratory competition data involving Al(III), Fe(III) and trace elements, supporting the assumption of common binding sites. Field speciation data (116 examples) for Al in acid-to-neutral waters can be accounted for, assuming that 60-70 % (depending upon competition by iron, and the chosen fulvic acid : humic acid ratio) of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is due to humic substances, the rest being considered inert with respect to ion binding. After adjustment of the model parameter characterizing binding affinity within acceptable limits, and with the assumption of equilibrium with a relatively soluble form of Fe(OH)₃, the model can simulate the results of studies of two freshwater samples, in which concentrations of organically complexed Fe were estimated by kinetic analysis.The model was used to examine the pH dependence of Al and Fe binding by dissolved organic matter (DOM) in freshwaters, by simulating the titration with Ca(OH)₂ of an initially acid solution, in equilibrium with solid-phase Al(OH)₃ and Fe(OH)₃. For the conditions considered, Al, which is present at higher free concentrations than Fe(III), competes significantly for the binding of Fe(III), whereas Fe(III) has little effect on Al binding. The principal form of Al simulated to be bound at low pH is Al³⁺, AlOH²⁺ being dominant at pH >6; the principal bound form of Fe(III) is FeOH²⁺ at all pH values in the range 4-9. Simulations suggest that, in freshwaters, both Al and Fe(III) compete significantly with trace metals (Cu, Zn) for binding by natural organic matter over a wide pH range (4-9). The competition effects are especially strong for a high-affinity trace metal such as Cu, present at low total concentrations (∼1 nM). As a result of these competition effects, high-affinity sites in humic matter may be less important for trace metal binding in the field than they are in laboratory systems involving humic matter that has been treated to remove associated metals.     

Reduction of uranium(VI) under sulfate-reducing conditions in the presence of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides

Hexavalent uranium [U(VI)] dissolved in a modified lactate-C medium was treated under anoxic conditions with a mixture of an Fe(III)-(hydr)oxide mineral (hematite, goethite, or ferrihydrite) and quartz. The mass of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxide mineral was varied to give equivalent Fe(III)-mineral surface areas. After equilibration, the U(VI)-mineral suspensions were inoculated with sulfate-reducing bacteria, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20. Inoculation of the suspensions containing sulfate-limited medium yielded significant G20 growth, along with concomitant reduction of sulfate and U(VI) from solution. With lactate-limited medium, however, some of the uranium that had been removed from solution was resolubilized in the hematite treatments and, to a lesser extent, in the goethite treatments, once the lactate was depleted. No resolubilization was observed in the lactate-limited ferrihydrite treatment even after a prolonged incubation of 4 months. Uranium resolubilization was attributed to reoxidation of the uraninite by Fe(III) present in the (hydr)oxide phases. Analysis by U L₃-edge XANES spectroscopy of mineral specimens sampled at the end of the experiments yielded spectra similar to that of uraninite, but having distinct features, notably a much more intense and slightly broader white line consistent with precipitation of nanometer-sized particles. The XANES spectra thus provided strong evidence for SRB-promoted removal of U(VI) from solution by reductive precipitation of uraninite. Consequently, our results suggest that SRB mediate reduction of soluble U(VI) to an insoluble U(IV) oxide, so long as a suitable electron donor is available. Depletion of the electron donor may result in partial reoxidation of the U(IV) to soluble U(VI) species when the surfaces of crystalline Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides are incompletely reduced.     

Mineralogical and morphological constraints on the reduction of Fe(III) minerals by Geobacter sulfurreducens

The biologically-mediated reduction of synthetic samples of the Fe(III)-bearing minerals hematite, goethite, lepidocrocite, feroxhyte, ford ferrihydrite, akaganeite and schwertmannite by Geobacter sulfurreducens has been investigated using microbiological techniques in conjunction with X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). This combination of approaches offers unique insights into the influence of subtle variations in the crystallinity of a given mineral on biogeochemical processes, and has highlighted the importance of (oxyhydr)oxide crystallite morphology in determining the changes occurring in a given mineral phase. Problems arising from normalising the biological Fe(III) reduction rates relative to the specific surface areas of the starting materials are also highlighted. These problems are caused primarily by particle aggregation, and compounded when using spectrophotometric assays to monitor reduction. For example, the initial rates of Fe(III) reduction observed for two synthetic feroxyhytes with different crystallinities (as shown by XRD and TEM studies) but almost identical surface areas, differ substantially. Both microbiological and high-resolution TEM studies show that hematite and goethite are susceptible to limited amounts of Fe(III) reduction, as evidenced by the accumulation of Fe(II) during incubation with G. sulfurreducens and the growth of nodular structures on crystalline goethite laths during incubation. Lepidocrocite and akaganeite readily transform into mixtures of magnetite and goethite, and XRD data indicate that the proportion of magnetite increases within the transformation products as the crystallinity of the starting material decreases. The presence of anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as an electron shuttle increases both the initial rate and longer term extent of biological Fe(III) reduction for all of the synthetic minerals examined. High-resolution XPS indicates subtle but measurable differences in the Fe(III):Fe(II) ratios at the mineral surfaces following extended incubation. For example, for a poorly crystalline schwertmannite, deconvolution of the Fe2p_3/2 peak suggests that the Fe(III):Fe(II) ratio of the near-surface regions varies from 1.0 in the starting material to 0.9 following 144 h of incubation with G.sulfurreducens, and to 0.75 following the same incubation period in the presence of 10 μM AQDS. These results have important implications for the biogeochemical cycling of iron.     

Kinetic and equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between aqueous Fe(II) and Fe(III)

Equilibrium and kinetic Fe isotope fractionation between aqueous ferrous and ferric species measured over a range of chloride concentrations (0, 11, 110 mM Cl⁻) and at two temperatures (0 and 22°C) indicate that Fe isotope fractionation is a function of temperature, but independent of chloride contents over the range studied. Using ⁵⁷Fe-enriched tracer experiments the kinetics of isotopic exchange can be fit by a second-order rate equation, or a first-order equation with respect to both ferrous and ferric iron. The exchange is rapid at 22°C, ∼60-80% complete within 5 seconds, whereas at 0°C, exchange rates are about an order of magnitude slower. Isotopic exchange rates vary with chloride contents, where ferrous-ferric isotope exchange rates were ∼25 to 40% slower in the 11 mM HCl solution compared to the 0 mM Cl⁻ (∼10 mM HNO₃) solutions; isotope exchange rates are comparable in the 0 and 110 mM Cl⁻ solutions.The average measured equilibrium isotope fractionations, Δ_{Fe(III)-Fe(II)}, in 0, 11, and 111 mM Cl⁻ solutions at 22°C are identical within experimental error at +2.76±0.09, +2.87±0.22, and +2.76±0.06 ‰, respectively. This is very similar to the value measured by Johnson et al. (2002a) in dilute HCl solutions. At 0°C, the average measured Δ_{Fe(III)-Fe(II)} fractionations are +3.25±0.38, +3.51±0.14 and +3.56±0.16 ‰ for 0, 11, and 111 mM Cl⁻ solutions. Assessment of the effects of partial re-equilibration on isotope fractionation during species separation suggests that the measured isotope fractionations are on average too low by ∼0.20 ‰ and ∼0.13 ‰ for the 22°C and 0°C experiments, respectively. Using corrected fractionation factors, we can define the temperature dependence of the isotope fractionation from 0°C to 22°C as: where the isotopic fractionation is independent of Cl⁻ contents over the range used in these experiments. These results confirm that the Fe(III)-Fe(II) fractionation is approximately half that predicted from spectroscopic data, and suggests that, at least in moderate Cl⁻ contents, the isotopic fractionation is relatively insensitive to Fe-Cl speciation.     

Molecular-level modes of As binding to Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides precipitated by the anaerobic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1

Sorption of contaminants such as arsenic (As) to natural Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides is very common and has been demonstrated to occur during abiotic and biotic Fe(II) oxidation. The molecular mechanism of adsorption- and co-precipitation of As has been studied extensively for synthetic Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals but is less documented for biogenic ones. In the present study, we used Fe and As K-edge X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES), extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM in order to investigate the interactions of As(V) and As(III) with biogenic Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals formed by the nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1. The present results show the As immobilization potential of strain BoFeN1 as well as the influence of As(III) and As(V) on biogenic Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide formation. In the absence of As, and at low As loading (As:Fe ≤ 0.008 mol/mol), goethite (Gt) formed exclusively. In contrast, at higher As/Fe ratios (As:Fe = 0.020-0.067), a ferrihydrite (Fh) phase also formed, and its relative amount systematically increased with increasing As:Fe ratio, this effect being stronger for As(V) than for As(III). Therefore, we conclude that the presence of As influences the type of biogenic Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals formed during microbial Fe(II) oxidation. Arsenic-K-edge EXAFS analysis of biogenic As-Fe-mineral co-precipitates indicates that both As(V) and As(III) form inner-sphere surface complexes at the surface of the biogenic Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides. Differences observed between As-surface complexes in BoFeN1-produced Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide samples and in abiotic model compounds suggest that associated organic exopolymers in our biogenic samples may compete with As oxoanions for sorption on Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides surfaces. In addition HRTEM-EDXS analysis suggests that As(V) preferentially binds to poorly crystalline phases, such as ferrihydrite, while As(III) did not show any preferential association regarding Fh or Gt.     

Evidence for ligand hydrolysis and Fe(III) reduction in the dissolution of goethite by desferrioxamine-B

Desferrioxamine-B (DFOB) is a bacterial trihydroxamate siderophore and probably the most studied to date. However, the manner in which DFOB adsorbs at mineral surfaces and promotes dissolution is still under discussion. Here we investigated the adsorption and dissolution reactions in the goethite-DFOB system using both in situ infrared spectroscopic and quantitative analytical methods. Experiments were carried out at a total DFOB concentration of 1 μmol/m², at pH 6, and in the absence of visible light. Our infrared spectroscopic results indicated that the adsorption of DFOB was nearly complete after a 4-h reaction time. In an attempt to determine the coordination mode at the goethite surface, we compared the spectrum of adsorbed DFOB after a 4-h reaction time to the spectra of model aqueous species. However, this approach proved too simplistic in the case of such a complex ligand as DFOB, and we suggest that a more detailed investigation (IR in D₂O, EXAFS of adsorbed model complexes) is needed to elucidate the structure of the adsorbed siderophore. Between a 4-h and 4-day reaction time, we observed the growth of carboxylate stretching bands at 1548 and 1404 cm⁻¹, which are indicators of DFOB hydrolysis. Acetate, a product of DFOB hydrolysis at its terminal hydroxamate group, was quantified by ion chromatography. Its rate of formation was linear and nearly the same as the rate of Fe(III) dissolution. The larger hydrolysis product, a hydroxylamine fragment, was not detected by LC-MS. However, a signal due to the oxidized form of this fragment, a nitroso compound, was found to increase linearly with time, which is an indirect indication for Fe(III) reduction. Based on these findings, we propose that DFOB undergoes metal-enhanced hydrolysis at the mineral surface followed by the reduction of surface Fe(III). While Fe(II) was not detected in solution, this is likely because it remains adsorbed at the goethite surface or becomes buried in the goethite crystal by electron conduction. Taking into account the extent and similarity between the rates of hydrolysis and dissolution, we suggest that a reductive mechanism could play an important part in the dissolution of goethite by DFOB. This possibility has not been considered previously in the absence of light and at circumneutral pH.