Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Biosynthesis of schwertmannite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and its application in arsenic immobilization in the contaminated soil

  • Soils, Sec 2 • Global Change, Environ Risk Assess, Sustainable Land Use • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Soil contamination with arsenic (As) is an increasingly worldwide concern. Immobilization is a potentially reliable, cost-effective technique for the reclamation of As-contaminated soils. The aim of this study is to develop new soil amendments with high As immobilization efficiency, cost-effective, environmental-friendly, and without soil acidification for As-contaminated soil remediation.

Materials and methods

Biosynthesis of schwertmannite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans has been conducted, and two types of biogenetic schwertmannites SCH and A-SCH were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), etc. The A-SCH was formed through pretreating SCH by acidic and alkaline activation. The potential of SCH and A-SCH in As immobilization in contaminated soil was evaluated. The effect of ferrous sulfate and A-SCH on soil pH and immobilization of NaHCO3-extractable As were also investigated for comparison.

Results and discussion

The chemical formula of SCH and A-SCH can be expressed as Fe8O8(OH)4.89(SO4)1.55 and Fe8O8(OH)5.19(SO4)1.41, respectively. Compared to SCH, A-SCH exhibits much higher specific surface area of 74.99 m2 g−1 and contains more hydroxyl groups and inner-sphere sulfate complexes. Immobilization efficiency of water-soluble As above 99.5 % can be achieved with A-SCH dosage of 5 % and SCH dosage of 10 %, respectively. The immobilization percentages of NaHCO3-extractable As increased from 31.5 to 90.4 % and from 40.2 to 93.8 % with increasing dosage from 0.5 to 10 wt % for SCH and A-SCH, respectively. In general, both SCH and A-SCH immobilize As in contaminated soil effectively, and the immobilization performance of A-SCH was better than that of SCH, especially at lower dosage.

Conclusions

Biogenetic schwertmannite could be used as a potential effective soil amendment for As immobilization in contaminated soil. Our findings in this study also have important implications for in situ immobilization of As in contaminated soils, especially the soils related to acidic iron and sulfate-rich environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ascher J, Ceccherini MT, Landi L et al (2009) Composition, biomass and activity of microflora, and leaf yields and foliar elemental concentrations of lettuce, after in situ stabilization of an arsenic-contaminated soil. Appl Soil Ecol 41:351–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beesley L, Marmiroli M (2011) The immobilisation and retention of soluble arsenic, cadmium and zinc by biochar. Environ Pollut 159:474–480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bigham JM, Schwertman U, Carlson L, Murad E (1990) A poorly crystallized oxyhydroxysulfate of iron formed by bacterial oxidation of Fe(II) in acid mine waters. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 54:2743–2758

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bigham JM, Carlson L, Murad E (1994) Schwertmannite, a new iron oxyhydroxysulphate from Pyhasalmi, Finland, and other localities. Mineral Mag 58:641–648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Bush RT, Johnston SG et al (2009) Sorption of arsenic(V) and arsenic(III) to schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 43:9202–9207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Johnston SG, Watling K et al (2010) Arsenic effects and behavior in association with the fe(II)-catalyzed transformation of schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 44:2016–2021

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Johnston SG, Kraal P et al (2013) Sulfate availability drives divergent evolution of arsenic speciation during microbially mediated reductive transformation of schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 47:2221–2229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chu Ngoc K, Van Nguyen N, Nguyen Dinh B et al (2009) Arsenic and heavy metal concentrations in agricultural soils around tin and tungsten mines in the Dai Tu district, N. Vietnam. Water Air Soil Pollut 197:75–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dold B (2003) Dissolution kinetics of schwertmannite and ferrihydrite in oxidized mine samples and their detection by differential X-ray diffraction (DXRD). Appl Geochemistry 18:1531–1540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dou X, Mohan D, Pittman CU (2013) Arsenate adsorption on three types of granular schwertmannite. Water Res 47:2938–2948

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eaton AD, Clesceri LS, Greenberg AE (1995) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Ettler V, Tomášová Z, Komárek M et al (2015) The pH-dependent long-term stability of an amorphous manganese oxide in smelter-polluted soils: Implication for chemical stabilization of metals and metalloids. J Hazard Mater 286:386–394

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fukushi K, Sato T, Yanase N (2003) Solid-solution reactions in As(V) sorption by schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 37:3581–3586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gan M, Zheng Z, Sun S et al (2015) The influence of aluminum chloride on biosynthetic Schwertmannite and the Cu(II)/Cr(VI) adsorption. RSC Adv 5:94500–94512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garau G, Silvetti M, Castaldi P et al (2014) Stabilising metal(loid)s in soil with iron and aluminium-based products: microbial, biochemical and plant growth impact. J Environ Manage 139:146–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Sánchez A, Alonso-Rojo P, Santos-Francés F (2010) Distribution and mobility of arsenic in soils of a mining area (Western Spain). Sci Total Environ 408:4194–4201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gil-Díaz M, Alonso J, Rodríguez-Valdés E et al (2014) Reducing the mobility of arsenic in brownfield soil using stabilised zero-valent iron nanoparticles. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 49:1361–1369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girouard E, Zagury GJ (2009) Arsenic bioaccessibility in CCA-contaminated soils: Influence of soil properties, arsenic fractionation, and particle-size fraction. Sci Total Environ 407:2576–2585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo J, Dong C, Zhang J, Lan Y (2015) Biogenic synthetic schwertmannite photocatalytic degradation of acid orange 7 (AO7) assisted by citric acid. Sep Purif Technol 143:27–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartley W, Edwards R, Lepp NW (2004) Arsenic and heavy metal mobility in iron oxide-amended contaminated soils as evaluated by short- and long-term leaching tests. Environ Pollut 131:495–504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hohmann C, Winkler E, Morin G, Kappler A (2010) Anaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria show as resistance and immobilize as during Fe(III) mineral precipitation. Environ Sci Technol 44:94–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones AM, Collins RN, Rose J, Waite TD (2009) The effect of silica and natural organic matter on the Fe(II)-catalysed transformation and reactivity of Fe(III) minerals. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 73:4409–4422

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim JJ, Kim SJ, Tazaki K (2002) Mineralogical characterization of microbial ferrihydrite and schwertmannite, and non-biogenic Al-sulfate precipitates from acid mine drainage in the Donghae Mine area, Korea. Environ Geol 42:19–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Komárek M, Vaněk A, Ettler V (2013) Chemical stabilization of metals and arsenic in contaminated soils using oxides—a review. Environ Pollut 172:9–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurczewska J, Grzesiak P, Łukaszyk J et al (2015) High decrease in soil metal bioavailability by metal immobilization with halloysite clay. Environ Chem Lett 13:319–325

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao Y, Zhou L, Bai S et al (2009) Occurrence of biogenic schwertmannite in sludge bioleaching environments and its adverse effect on solubilization of sludge-borne metals. Appl Geochem 24:1739–1746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao Y, Liang J, Zhou L (2011) Adsorptive removal of As(III) by biogenic schwertmannite from simulated As-contaminated groundwater. Chemosphere 83:295–301

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Zhou J, Zhang S et al (2015) Schwertmannite synthesis through ferrous ion chemical oxidation under different H2O2 supply rates and its removal efficiency for arsenic from contaminated groundwater. PLoS One 10, e0138891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mench M, Vangronsveld J, Clijsters H et al (1999) In situ metal immobilization and phytostabilization of contaminated soils. In: Phytoremediation of contaminated soil and water. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikutta C, Mandaliev PN, Mahler N et al (2014) Bioaccessibility of arsenic in mining-impacted circumneutral river floodplain soils. Environ Sci Technol 48:13468–13477

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore TJ, Rightmire CM, Vempati RK (2000) Ferrous iron treatment of soils contaminated with arsenic-containing wood-preserving solution. Soil Sediment Contam 9:375–405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naseri E, Reyhanitabar A, Oustan S et al (2014) Optimization arsenic immobilization in a sandy loam soil using iron-based amendments by response surface methodology. Geoderma 232–234:547–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niazi NK, Singh B, Shah P (2011) Arsenic speciation and phytoavailability in contaminated soils using a sequential extraction procedure and XANES spectroscopy. Environ Sci Technol 45:7135–7142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Otones V, Álvarez-Ayuso E, García-Sánchez A et al (2011) Arsenic distribution in soils and plants of an arsenic impacted former mining area. Environ Pollut 159:2637–2647

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oyarzun R, Cubas P, Higueras P et al (2009) Environmental assessment of the arsenic-rich, Rodalquilar gold-(copper-lead-zinc) mining district, SE Spain: data from soils and vegetation. Environ Geol 58:761–777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paikaray S, Göttlicher J, Peiffer S (2011) Removal of As(III) from acidic waters using schwertmannite: Surface speciation and effect of synthesis pathway. Chem Geol 283:134–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paikaray S, Essilfie-Dughan J, Göttlicher J et al (2014) Redox stability of As(III) on schwertmannite surfaces. J Hazard Mater 265:208–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Regenspurg S, Brand A, Peiffer S (2004) Formation and stability of schwertmannite in acidic mining lakes. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 68:1185–1197

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rinklebe J, Shaheen SM, Frohne T (2015) Amendment of biochar reduces the release of toxic elements under dynamic redox conditions in a contaminated floodplain soil. Chemosphere 142:41–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadiq M (1986) Solubility relationship of arsenic in calcareous soils and its uptake by corn. Plant Soil 91:241–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar B, Naidu R, Rahman MM et al (2012) Organoclays reduce arsenic bioavailability and bioaccessibility in contaminated soils. J Soils Sediments 12:704–712

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scanferla P, Ferrari G, Pellay R et al (2009) An innovative stabilization/solidification treatment for contaminated soil remediation: demonstration project results. J Soils Sediments 9:229–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simón M, García I, González V et al (2015) Effect of grain size and heavy metals on As immobilization by marble particles. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:6835–6841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song J, Jia S-Y, Ren H-T et al (2015) Application of a high-surface-area schwertmannite in the removal of arsenate and arsenite. Int J Environ Sci Technol 12:1559–1568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang J, Liao Y, Yang Z et al (2016) Characterization of arsenic serious-contaminated soils from Shimen realgar mine area, the Asian largest realgar deposit in China. J Soils Sediments 16:1519–1528

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Gu C, Feng X, Zhu M (2015) Sulfate local coordination environment in schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 49:10440–10448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren GP, Alloway BJ (2003) Reduction of arsenic uptake by lettuce with ferrous sulfate applied to contaminated soil. J Environ Qual 32:767–772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren GP, Alloway BJ, Lepp NW et al (2003) Field trials to assess the uptake of arsenic by vegetables from contaminated soils and soil remediation with iron oxides. Sci Total Environ 311:19–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenzel WW, Kirchbaumer N, Prohaska T et al (2001) Arsenic fractionation in soils using an improved sequential extraction procedure. Anal Chim Acta 436:309–323

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang H, He M, Wang X (2014) Concentration and speciation of antimony and arsenic in soil profiles around the world’s largest antimony metallurgical area in China. Environ Geochem Health 37:21–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Z, Liu L, Chai L et al (2015) Arsenic immobilization in the contaminated soil using poorly crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxy sulfate. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:12624–12632

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51304251, 51374237) and Special Program on Environmental Protection for Public Welfare (201509050) for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Lushan South Road 932, Changsha, Hunan, 410017, China

    Liyuan Chai, Jingwen Tang, Zhihui Yang, Lifeng Liang, Qingzhu Li, Haiying Wang & Weichun Yang

  2. Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha, Hunan, 410017, China

    Liyuan Chai, Zhihui Yang, Qingzhu Li, Haiying Wang & Weichun Yang

  3. Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, 410117, China

    Yingping Liao

Authors
  1. Liyuan Chai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jingwen Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yingping Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhihui Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lifeng Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Qingzhu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Haiying Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Weichun Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weichun Yang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Fabio Scarciglia

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

Figure S1 EDS of SCH(a) and A-SCH(b). Figure S2 Raman spectroscopy of SCH(a) and A-SCH(b) (PDF 131 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chai, L., Tang, J., Liao, Y. et al. Biosynthesis of schwertmannite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and its application in arsenic immobilization in the contaminated soil. J Soils Sediments 16, 2430–2438 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1449-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1449-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation