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HERO ID
1936027
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Arsenic immobilization as alunite-type phases: The arsenate substitution in alunite and hydronium alunite
Author(s)
Sunyer, A; Currubí, M; Viñals, J
Year
2013
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Journal of Hazardous Materials
ISSN:
0304-3894
EISSN:
1873-3336
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
261
Issue
Elsevier
Page Numbers
559-569
Language
English
PMID
23994654
DOI
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.08.011
URL
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0304389413005670
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Abstract
AsO4-for-SO4 substitution in alunite (KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6) and hydronium alunite ((H3O)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6) has been investigated by hydrothermal precipitation at 200°C. Arsenical alunite presented a good precipitation yield and a significant AsO4 substitution (up to 15% molar). The degree of arsenate substitution depends on the solution composition. It increased as (AsO4/(AsO4+SO4))alunite≅0.5 (AsO4/(AsO4+SO4))L. For (AsO4/(AsO4+SO4))L<0.26, arsenical alunite was the unique phase and, above this ratio, mansfieldite (AlAsO4·2H2O) co-precipitated. The a unit cell parameter is practically independent of the AsO4 substitution, but the c unit cell parameter increased consistently with the differences between the AsO1 and SO1 distances in tetrahedral sites of the structure. The maximum stability of arsenical alunite in short-term tests is between pH 5 and 8, with an As-solubilization of 0.01-0.03mg/L in 24h. Long-term tests were performed at some synthesized samples at its natural pH. Arsenical alunite was stabilized at 0.3mg/L released As in 2.5 weeks. These values were similar to those obtained in pure and largely crystalline natural scorodite (0.4mg/L released As), but lower than the obtained for synthetic scorodite (1.3mg/L released As). Thus, arsenical alunite could be effective for arsenic immobilization, especially for effluents or wastes containing large SO4/AsO4 ratio. Hydronium alunite presents a low precipitation yield and a very low arsenate incorporation (up to 1% molar). This may be related by the difficulty of substituting protonated H2O-for-OH(-) groups, due to the location of the H-bridges of the H3O in the structure. These characteristics make hydronium alunite unsuitable for arsenic immobilization.
Tags
IRIS
•
Arsenic (Inorganic)
1. Literature
Lit search updates through Oct 2015
3. Hazard ID Screening
Other potentially supporting studies
•
Inorganic Arsenic (7440-38-2) [Final 2025]
PubMed
Considered New
PubMed
Considered New
2. Lit Search Updates through Oct 2015
PubMed
Considered
7. Other Studies through Oct 2015
Physical Chemistry/Engineering
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