Arsenic (As) redox-induced mobilisation and speciation in polluted gold mine sites in tropical climates largely remains unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of changes in soil redox potential (EH) (-54 mV to +429 mV) on mobilisation of As and its dominant species in an abandoned spoil (total As = 4283 mg/kg) using an automated biogeochemical microcosm set-up. Arsenic mobilisation increased (85-137 mg/L) at moderately reducing conditions (-54 mV to + 200 mV)), while its reduced (6-35 mg/L) under oxic conditions (+200 to +400 mV). This indicates the high risk of As potential loss under reducing conditions. The mobilisation of As was governed by the redox chemistry of Fe. XANES and EXAFS analyses showed that sorbed-As(V)-goethite, sorbed- As(III)-ferrihydrite, scorodite and arsenopyrite were the predominant As species in the mine spoil. As(V) dominated at oxic conditions and As(III) predominated at moderately reducing conditions, which may be attributed to either inability of arsenate bacteria to reduce As or incomplete reduction. Lower Fe/As molar ratios during moderately reducing conditions show that the mine spoil may migrate As to watercourses during flooding, which may increase the hazardous effects of this toxic element. Therefore, encouraging aerobic conditions may mitigate As release and potential loss from the mine field.
Publication name |
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, Volume 436, Article Numbere 129238, DOI 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129238, Published AUG 15 2022, Early Access JUN 2022 |
Author(s) |
Mensah, Albert Kobina; Marschner, Bernd; Wang, Jianxu; Bundschuh, Jochen; Wang, Shan-Li; Yang, Puu-Tai; Shaheen, Sabry M.; Rinklebe, Jorg |
Corresponding author(s) |
Rinklebe, Jorg albert.mensah@rub.de; bernd.marschner@rub.de; wangjianxu@vip.gyig.ac.cn; shaheen@uniwuppertal.de; rinklebe@uni-wuppertal.de Univ Wuppertal, Inst Fdn Engn, Sch Architecture & Civil Engn, Lab Soil, Pauluskirchstr 7, D-42285 Wuppertal, Germany |
Author(s) from IGCAS |
Wang, Jianxu | View here for the details
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