Ferrous sulfide solubility

Most of the pollutants may be effectively removed by precipitation of metal hydroxides or carbonates using a reaction with lime, sodium hydroxide, or sodium carbonate. For some, improved removals are provided by the use of sodium sulfide or ferrous sulfide to precipitate the pollutants as sulfide compounds with very low solubilities. After soluble metals are precipitated as insoluble floes, one of the water-solid separators (such as dissolved air flotation, sedimentation, centrifugation, membrane filtration, and so on) can be used for floes removal.911 The effectiveness of pollutant removal by several different precipitation methods is summarized in Tables 5.15-5.17. 

Ferrous sulfide itself is also a relatively insoluble compound. Thus, the sulfide ion concentration is limited by its solubility, which amounts to only about 0.02 g/L, and the inherent problems associated with conventional sulfide precipitation are significantly minimized. 

This technology involves the addition of chemical reagents to cause insoluble compounds to form. A common method nsed to precipitate metal ions is pH adjustment. The desired pH is one in which the metals exhibit low solubilities in water and therefore precipitate. Common reagents nsed for pH adjnstment include aUcahs such as lime, caustic soda, or magnesium hydroxide slurries to precipitate metal hydroxides. Sulfides such as sodium sulfide or ferrous sulfide slurries are often nsed to precipitate metal snlfides. Other reagents, such as xanthates, can also be nsed to precipitate metal ions. 

As discussed in Chapter 5, ferric and ferrous ions have very different solubility properties. Ferric ions precipitate in neutral to alkaline environments as ferric hydroxide, and under anaerobic conditions they may be reduced to the more soluble ferrous form. However, under certain anaerobic conditions enough H2S may be present so as to precipitate iron as ferrous sulfide. 

Black iron sulfide Cl 77540 EINECS 215-268-6 Ferrous monosulfide Ferrous sulfide (FeS) HSDB 5803 Iron monosulfide Iron monosulfide (FeS) Iron protosulfide Iron sulfide (FeS) Iron sulfuret Iron sulphide Magnetkies Pyrrhotine Troillite. A variety of iron pyrites. Used as a source of H2S, in ceramics, as a pigment, in anodes and lubricant coatings. Colorless-grey crystals mp = 1194" d = 4,84 insoluble in H2O, soluble in acids,... 

In sulfate-dominated wetlands, production of sulfide (through biological reduction of sulfate) and formation of ferrous sulfides may preclude phosphorus retention by ferrous iron in regulating phosphorus bioavailability (Caraco et al., 1991). In iron- and calcium-dominated systems, Moore and Reddy (1994) observed that iron oxides likely control the behavior of inorganic phosphorus under aerobic conditions, whereas calcium phosphate mineral precipitation governs the solubility under anaerobic conditions. This difference is in part due to a decrease in pH under aerobic conditions as a result of oxidation of ferrous iron compounds, whereas an increase in pH occurs under anaerobic conditions as a result of reduction of ferric iron compounds. The juxtaposition of aerobic and anaerobic interfaces promotes oxidation-reduction of iron and its regulation of phosphorus solubility. 

The efficacy of these reactions in wastewater treatment system remains doubtful, however. The reduction of selenate by ferrous sulfide is deemed to be important in wastewater treatment systems and can result in the formation of highly insoluble ferrohydroxy selenite, the solubility product of which has been estimated to be 10 (Geering et ai, 1968) ... 

The solubilities of some heavy metal sulfides are extremely low, so precipitation by H2S or other sulfides (see Reaction 22.5.2) can be a very effective means of treatment. Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas that is itself considered to be a hazardous waste (U135). Iron(II) sulfide (ferrous sulfide) can be used as a safe source of sulfide ion to produce sulfide precipitates with other metals that are less soluble than FeS. However, toxic H2S can be produced when metal sulfide wastes contact acid ... 

Redox reactions may cause mobile toxic ions to become either immobile or less toxic. Hexavalent chromium is mobile and highly toxic. It can be reduced to be rendered less toxic in the form of trivalent chromium sulfide by the addition of ferrous sulfate. Similarly, pentavalent (V) or trivalent (III) arsenic, arsenate or arsenite are more toxic and soluble forms. Arsenite (III) can be oxidized to As(IV). Arsenate (V) can be transformed to highly insoluble FeAs04 by the addition of ferrous sulfate. 

The metals sulfides are the most dangerous since after aerobic weathering they are transformed into water-soluble sulfates of different metals. Accordingly, in the areas of non-ferrous and rare metal ore exploration and treatments, the acid sulfate landscapes are formed with high content of toxic metals. The biogeochemical technogenic provinces are known, for instance, copper-nickel provinces in the Kola Peninsula, Fennoscandia molybdenum provinces in the Caucasian region, copper and chromium-nickel ones in the South Ural, poly-metal ones, in the Pacific coast of eastern Eurasia (Russia, China, and Korea), etc. 

Metallic ions in soluble form are commonly removed from wastewater by conversion to an insoluble form followed by separation processes such as flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration. Chemicals such as lime, caustic soda, sulfides, and ferrous or ferric compounds have been used for metals separation. Polymer is usually added to aid in flocculation and sedimentation. 

Recently we presented (23) the results of an experimental study on the kinetics and mechanisms of the reaction of lepidocrocite (y-FeOOH) with H2S. With respect to the interaction between iron and sulfur, lepidocrocite merits special attention. It forms by reoxidation of ferrous iron under cir-cumneutral pH conditions (24), and it can therefore be classified as a reactive iron oxide (19). The concept of reactive iron was established by Canfield (19), who differentiated between a residual iron fraction and a reactive iron fraction (operationally defined as soluble in ammonium oxalate). The reactive iron fraction is rapidly reduced by sulfide or by microorganisms. 

The investigations of Landesman et al. (1966a, b) clarify the effects of the various conditions controlling the optimum oxidation rates of ferrous iron, sulfur and reduced sulfur compounds by T. ferrooxidans. Experiments on soluble iron, sulfur and iron-containing sulfide minerals (chalcopyrite, CuFeS2, bornite, CUsFeS4, and pyrite) established that iron and sulfur can be oxidized simultaneously. With a mixed iron-sulfur substrate a rate of oxidation, equal to that of the sum of the maximum rates of oxidation of the two substrates individually was observed with both S-adapted and Fe-adapted cells. Subsequently, Duncan et al. (1967) established the differential susceptibility of the bacterial oxidation of ferrous iron and sulfur to N-ethyl maleimide and sodium azide, and determined the effect of these inhibitors on pyrite and chalcopyrite oxidation. Decreased rates... 

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