Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of microbial sulfidogenesis on the stability of As–Fe coprecipitate with low Fe/As molar ratio under anaerobic conditions

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effect of microbial sulfidogenesis on As transformation and mobilization in solid phase with low Fe/As ratio is still not well known. In this study, microbial transformation and mobilization of As in the As–Fe coprecipitate with different sulfate levels were investigated using chemical extraction and K-edge XANES of As and S. Results showed that approximately 2.7, 24.4, and 83.7 % of total As were released into the aqueous phase in the low-, mid-, and high-sulfate treatments, respectively, indicating that the presence of large amounts of sulfate could enhance microbial arsenic mobilization in the As–Fe coprecipitate. In the low-sulfate treatment, As mobilization was primarily attributed to the reductive dissolution of the Fe (oxy)hydroxides and the As reduction and desorption. In the mid- and high-sulfate treatments, the reduction of arsenate and ferric iron was significantly enhanced. Complete ferric iron reduction was observed in the solid phase, implying that Fe (oxy)hydroxide was transformed to secondary minerals and may be the one of the primary causes for the enhanced As mobilization. Thermodynamic calculations predicted the formation of thioarsenite species after 35 days of incubation based on the concentration of dissolved As(III) and S(−II). Since thioarsenic species is more mobile, its formation may be one of the most important factors enhancing the As release in the high-sulfate system. The result of this study is of significance to completely predict the environmental behavior of As associated with Fe (hydr)oxides in the presence of microbial sulfidogenesis under anoxic conditions.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beak DG, Wilkin RT, Ford RG, Kelly SD (2008) Examination of arsenic speciation in sulfidic solutions using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Environ Sci Technol 42(5):1643–1650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Johnston SG, Bush RT (2011) Microbial sulfidogenesis in ferrihydrite-rich environments: effects on iron mineralogy and arsenic mobility. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 75(11):3072–3087

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Johnston SG, Kraal P, Bush RT, Claff S (2013a) Sulfate availability drives divergent evolution of arsenic speciation during microbially mediated reductive transformation of schwertmannite. Environ Sci Technol 47(5):2221–2229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burton ED, Johnston SG, Planer-Friedrich B (2013b) Coupling of arsenic mobility to sulfur transformations during microbial sulfate reduction in the presence and absence of humic acid. Chem Geol 343:12–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell KM, Malasarn D, Saltikov CW, Newman DK, Hering JG (2006) Simultaneous microbial reduction of iron(III) and arsenic(V) in suspensions of hydrous ferric oxide. Environ Sci Technol 40(19):5950–5955

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Couture RM, Rose J, Kumar N, Mitchell K, Wallschlager D, Van Cappellen P (2013) Sorption of arsenite, arsenate, and thioarsenates to iron oxides and iron sulfides: a kinetic and spectroscopic investigation. Environ Sci Technol 47(11):5652–5659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cutting RS, Coker VS, Telling ND, Kimber RL, Van Der Laan G, Pattrick RAD, Vaughan DJ, Arenholz E, Lloyd JR (2012) Microbial reduction of arsenic-doped schwertmannite by Geobacter sulfurreducens. Environ Sci Technol 46(22):12591–12599

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dixit S, Hering JG (2003) Comparison of arsenic(V) and arsenic(III) sorption onto iron oxide minerals: implications for arsenic mobility. Environ Sci Technol 37(18):4182–4189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ekstrom EB, Learman DR, Madden AS, Hansel CM (2010) Contrasting effects of Al substitution on microbial reduction of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 74(24):7086–7099

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farquhar ML, Charnock JM, Livens FR, Vaughan DJ (2002) Mechanisms of arsenic uptake from aqueous solution by interaction with goethite, lepidocrocite, mackinawite, and pyrite: an X-ray absorption spectroscopy study. Environ Sci Technol 36(8):1757–1762

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ford RG (2002) Rates of hydrous ferric oxide crystallization and the influence on coprecipitated arsenate. Environ Sci Technol 36(11):2459–2463

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris B (2000) The removal and stabilization of As from aqueous process solutions: past, present, future. In: Young C et al (eds) Minor elements 2000, processing and environmental aspects of As, Sb, Se, Te, and Bi. SME, Littleton

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris B (2003) The removal of arsenic from process solutions: theory and industrial practice. In: Ritchie IM, Young CAA, Anderson C, James A, Dreisinger D, Harris B (eds) Hydrometallurgy 2003—Proceedings of the International Symposium. TMS, Warrendale, pp 1889–1902

    Google Scholar 

  • Hering JG, Chen PY, Wilkie JA, Elimelech M (1997) Arsenic removal from drinking water during coagulation. J Environ Eng ASCE 123(8):800–807

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang JH, Elzinga EJ, Brechbuchl Y, Voegelin A, Kretzschmar R (2011a) Impacts of Shewanella putrefaciens strain CN-32 cells and extracellular polymeric substances on the sorption of As(V) and As(III) on Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides. Environ Sci Technol 45(7):2804–2810

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang JH, Voegelin A, Pombo SA, Lazzaro A, Zeyer J, Kretzschmar R (2011b) Influence of arsenate adsorption to ferrihydrite, goethite, and boehmite on the kinetics of arsenate reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens strain CN-32. Environ Sci Technol 45(18):7701–7709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam FS, Gault AG, Boothman C, Polya DA, Charnock JM, Chatterjee D, Lloyd JR (2004) Role of metal-reducing bacteria in arsenic release from Bengal delta sediments. Nature 430(6995):68–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam FS, Pederick RL, Gault AG, Adams LK, Polya DA, Charnock JM, Lloyd JR (2005) Interactions between the Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens and arsenate, and capture of the metalloid by biogenic Fe(II). Appl Environ Microbiol 71(12):8642–8648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jain A, Raven KP, Loeppert RH (1999) Arsenite and arsenate adsorption on ferrihydrite: surface charge reduction and net OH- release stoichiometry. Environ Sci Technol 33(8):1179–1184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jia YF, Demopoulos GP (2008) Coprecipitation of arsenate with iron(III) in aqueous sulfate media: effect of time, lime as base and co-ions on arsenic retention. Water Res 42(3):661–668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jonsson J, Sherman DM (2008) Sorption of As(III) and As(V) to siderite, green rust (fougerite) and magnetite: implications for arsenic release in anoxic groundwaters. Chem Geol 255(1–2):173–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk MF (2010) Experimental analysis of arsenic precipitation during microbial sulfate and iron reduction in model aquifer sediment reactors (vol 74, pg 2538, 2010). Geochim Cosmochim Acta 74(15):4603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk MF, Roden EE, Crossey LJ, Brearley AJ, Spilde MN (2010) Experimental analysis of arsenic precipitation during microbial sulfate and iron reduction in model aquifer sediment reactors. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 74(9):2538–2555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langner HW, Inskeep WP (2000) Microbial reduction of arsenate in the presence of ferrihydrite. Environ Sci Technol 34(15):3131–3136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li YL, Vali H, Yang J, Phelps TJ, Zhang CL (2006) Reduction of iron oxides enhanced by a sulfate-reducing bacterium and biogenic H2S. Geomicrobiol J 23(2):103–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy R, Lammers K, Smirnov A, Schoonen MAA, Strongin DR (2010) Ferrihydrite phase transformation in the presence of aqueous sulfide and supercritical CO2. Chem Geol 271(1–2):26–30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Planer-Friedrich B, London J, McCleskey RB, Nordstrom DK, Wallschlager D (2007) Thioarsenates in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National Park: determination, preservation, and geochemical importance. Environ Sci Technol 41(15):5245–5251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poulton SW (2003) Sulfide oxidation and iron dissolution kinetics during the reaction of dissolved sulfide with ferrihydrite. Chem Geol 202(1–2):79–94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rhine ED, Garcia-Dominguez E, Phelps CD, Young LY (2005) Environmental microbes can speciate and cycle arsenic. Environ Sci Technol 39(24):9569–9573

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rochette EA, Bostick BC, Li GC, Fendorf S (2000) Kinetics of arsenate reduction by dissolved sulfide. Environ Sci Technol 34(22):4714–4720

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saalfield SL, Bostick BC (2009) Changes in iron, sulfur, and arsenic speciation associated with bacterial sulfate reduction in ferrihydrite-rich systems. Environ Sci Technol 43(23):8787–8793

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smedley PL, Kinniburgh DG (2002) A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters. Appl Geochem 17(5):517–568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stachowicz M, Hiemstra T, van Riemsdijk WH (2008) Multi-competitive interaction of As(III) and As(V) oxyanions with Ca2+, Mg2+, PO43-, and CO32- ions on goethite. J Colloid Interface Sci 320(2):400–414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stauder S, Raue B, Sacher F (2005) Thioarsenates in sulfidic waters. Environ Sci Technol 39(16):5933–5939

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tadanier CJ, Schreiber ME, Roller JW (2005) Arsenic mobilization through microbially mediated deflocculation of ferrihydrite. Environ Sci Technol 39(9):3061–3068

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Twidwell LG, Robins RG, Hohn JW (2005) The removal of arsenic from aqueous solution by coprecipitation with iron (III). In: Reddy RG, Ramachandran V (eds) Arsenic metallurgy. TMS, Warrendale, pp 3–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Vignona LC (1985) Oxidation-reduction kinetics of goethite and dissolved sulfide; implications for trace metal desorption. Rice University

  • Weber FA, Hofacker AF, Voegelin A, Kretzschmar R (2010) Temperature dependence and coupling of iron and arsenic reduction and release during flooding of a contaminated soil. Environ Sci Technol 44(1):116–122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkie JA, Hering JG (1996) Adsorption of arsenic onto hydrous ferric oxide: effects of adsorbate/adsorbent ratios and co-occurring solutes. Coll Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 107:97–110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao F, Wang S, Xu L, Wang Y, Yuan Z, Jia Y (2015) Adsorption of monothioarsenate on amorphous aluminum hydroxide under anaerobic conditions. Chem Geol 407–408:46–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu L, Zhao Z, Wang S, Pan R, Jia Y (2011) Transformation of arsenic in offshore sediment under the impact of anaerobic microbial activities. Water Res 45(20):6781–6788

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zobrist J, Dowdle PR, Davis JA, Oremland RS (2000) Mobilization of arsenite by dissimilatory reduction of adsorbed arsenate. Environ Sci Technol 34(22):4747–4753

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The S and As K-edge XANES spectra were measured on the mid-energy and XAFS beamlines at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The financial supports to this work by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDB14020203) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China are gratefully acknowledged (Nos. 41530643, 41273133, 41303088, and 41473111).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China

    Shaofeng Wang, Xin Yu He, Rongrong Pan, Liying Xu, Xin Wang & Yongfeng Jia

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Xin Yu He

Authors
  1. Shaofeng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xin Yu He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rongrong Pan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Liying Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yongfeng Jia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shaofeng Wang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Robert Duran

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 115 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, S., He, X.Y., Pan, R. et al. The effect of microbial sulfidogenesis on the stability of As–Fe coprecipitate with low Fe/As molar ratio under anaerobic conditions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 7267–7277 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5927-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5927-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation