Redox Dynamic Interactions of Arsenic(III) with Green Rust Sulfate in the Presence of Citrate

Abstract

Arsenic is a global pollutant. Recent studies found that Fe(II) can oxidize As(III), but the extent of oxidation with mixed-valent iron minerals and the mechanisms involved are unknown. In this study, we investigated whether As(III) can be oxidized under reducing conditions using green rust sulfate (GR-SO₄), an Fe mineral containing both Fe(II) and Fe(III). Batch sorption experiments showed that GR-SO₄ (1 g L^-1) effectively sorbs environmentally relevant concentrations of As(III) (50-500 μg L^-1) under anoxic, neutral pH conditions with and without citrate (50 μM). X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy analysis at the As K-edge demonstrated that approximately 76% of As(III) was oxidized to As(V) by GR-SO₄. Complete oxidation of As(III) was observed in the presence of citrate. As(III) oxidation can be linked to the phase transformation of GR-SO₄ to goethite, resulting in new reactive Fe(III) species that plausibly drive oxidation. Citrate enhanced this process by stabilizing Fe on the mixed GR-SO₄/goethite surface, preventing its reduction back to Fe(II) and facilitating further As(III) oxidation without significant Fe loss to the solution. This study highlights the cryptic As(III) oxidation that occurs under reducing conditions, providing new insights into the cycling of arsenic in mixed phases of iron-rich, anoxic environments.