Lepidocrocite dissolution

Reactivity of Fe(III)(hydr)oxide as measured by the reductive dissolution with ascorbate. "Fe(OH)3" is prepared from Fe(II) (10 4 M) and HCO3 (3 10 4 M) by oxygenation (po2 = 0.2 atm) in presence of a buffer imidazd pH = 6.7 (Fig. a) and in presence of TRIS and imidazol pH = 7.7 (Fig. b). After the formation of Fe(III)(hydr)oxide the solution is deaerated by N2, and ascorbate (4.8 10 2 M) is added. The reactivity of "Fe(OH)3 differs markedly depending on its preparation. In presence of imidazole (Fig. a) the hydrous oxide has properties similar to lepidocrocite (i.e., upon filtration of the suspension the solid phase is identified as lepidocrocite). In presence of TRIS, outer-sphere surface complexes with the native mononuclear Fe(OH)3 are probably formed which retard the polymerization to polynuclear "Fe(OH)3" (von Gunten and Schneider, 1991). 

Similar photo-induced reductive dissolution to that reported for lepidocrocite in the presence of citric acid has been observed for hematite (a-Fe203) in the presence of S(IV) oxyanions (42) (see Figure 3). As shown in the conceptual model of Faust and Hoffmann (42) in Figure 4, two major pathways may lead to the production of Fe(II)ag i) surface redox reactions, both photochemical and thermal (dark), involving Fe(III)-S(IV) surface complexes (reactions 3 and 4 in Figure 4), and ii) aqueous phase photochemical and thermal redox reactions (reactions 11 and 12 in Figure 4). However, the rate of hematite dissolution (reaction 5) limits the rate at which Fe(II)aq may be produced by aqueous phase pathways (reactions 11 and 12) by limiting the availability of Fe(III)aq for such reactions. The rate of total aqueous iron production (d[Fe(aq)]T/dt = d [Fe(III)aq] +... 

Larson O, Postma D (2001) Kinetics of reductive bulk dissolution of lepidocrocite, ferrihydrite, and goethite. 

Dos Santos Alfonso and Stumm (1992) suggested that the rate of reductive dissolution by H2S of the common oxides is a function of the formation rate of the two surface complexes =FeS and =FeSH. The rate (10 mol m min ) followed the order lepidocrocite (20) > magnetite (14) > goethite (5.2) > hematite (1.1), and except for magnetite, it was linearly related to free energy, AG, of the reduction reactions of these oxides (see eq. 9.24). A factor of 75 was found for the reductive dissolution by H2S and Fe sulphide formation between ferrihydrite and goethite which could only be explained to a small extent by the difference in specific surface area (Pyzik Sommer, 1981). 

Nitschmann, 1938 van Oosterhout, 1967 Bechine et al., 1982). The process involves a dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism and is promoted by the presence of Fe ions which assist dissolution of lepidocrocite (see Chap. 12) the level of Fe may be increased by addition of metallic iron to the system. 

As lepidocrocite is metastable relative to goethite, it can be expected that lepidocrocite may transform into goethite. As demonstrated in the laboratory, this transformation proceeds via solution (see Chap. 14). Electron micrographs from a redoxi-morphic soil in Australia indicate that the same process seems to occur in soils (Fig. 16.5). The lepidocrocite crystals show dissolution features and there are small, acicu-lar, goethite crystals in their neighbourhood. Feroxyhyte was reported in two allopha-... 

Cornell, R.M. Giovanoli, R. (1988 a) Acid dissolution of akaganeite and lepidocrocite the effect on crystal morphology. Clays Clay Min. 36 385-390... 

Iron frequently has been postulated to be an important electron acceptor for oxidation of sulfide (58, 84,119, 142, 152). Experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that Fe(III) will oxidize pyrite (153-157). Reductive dissolution of iron oxides by sulfide also is well documented. Progressive depletion of iron oxides often is coincident with increases in iron sulfides in marine sediments (94, 158, 159). Low concentrations of sulfide even in zones of rapid sulfide formation were attributed to reactions with iron oxides (94). Pyzik and Sommer (160) and Rickard (161) studied the kinetics of goethite reduction by sulfide thiosulfate and elemental S were the oxidized S species identified. Recent investigations of reductive dissolution of hematite and lepidocrocite found polysulfides, thiosulfate, sulfite, and sulfate as end products (162, 163). 

The extent to which H2S contributes to the release of ferrous iron into pore-water solution through dissolution of reactive ferric oxides such as lepidocrocite or amorphous ferrihydrite remains unclear. According to Can-field (19), liberation of ferrous iron in sediments stems mainly from microbial dissolution of ferric oxides. The release rates of Fe2+ measured in his study range between 3 X 10"6 and 4 X 10 5 M per day, at the lower limit of the theoretical interval. 

In addition to a better understanding of the reaction of sulfide with ferric oxides and its role in pyrite formation, a more exact definition of the term reactive iron is critical. Does reactive iron mean a different iron oxide fraction for bacterial dissolution (e.g., weathering products such as goethite or hematite) than for reaction with sulfide (e.g., reoxidized lepidocrocite) In other words, is there a predigestion of ferric oxides by bacteria that allows a subsequent rapid interaction of sulfide with ferric oxides ... 

Lepidocrocite (-y-FeOOH) has also been used as a catalyst for Fentonlike reactions [54]. First-order decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was observed in the presence of this catalyst. Peroxide decay at 20 g/L catalyst was found to be pseudo-first-order and pH-dependent, with rate constant values reported from 0.102 hr-1 at pH 3.3 to 0.326 hr-1 at pH 8.9. In this system benzoic acid degradation was fastest at the low pH value. Under these conditions, acid dissolution of the lepidocrocite was observed to produce... 

As shown in Figure 13.19a, phosphate and borate inhibit the dissolution of goethite by H2S. Similarly, the dissolution of lepidocrocite (7-FeOOH) by EDTA (Y" ) is inhibited by phosphate and arsenate (Figure 13.19b). Both in the reductive dissolution (by H2S) and the ligand-promoted dissolution (by... 

Figure 6. Experimental dissolution rate (mol/m2 per hour) as a function of surface speciation (eq 17). Insert dissolution rates (mol/m2 per hour) for hematite, goethite, lepidocrocite, and magnetite as a function of the free energy (kj/mol of electrons) of the reduction reactions...

Many of these oxoanions can form, depending on concentration and pH, various surface complexes. This ability may explain the different effects observed under different solution conditions. For example, Bondietti et al. (33) found that phosphate at low pH (where mononuclear complexes are probably formed) accelerated EDTA-promoted dissolution of lepidocrocite, whereas at near-neutral pH conditions (where binuclear complexes are presumably formed), phosphate was an efficient inhibitor. Furthermore, because of the several geometries involved, the extent of comer sharing or edge sharing by adsorbed oxoanions may differ with the type of oxide and with allotropic modifications of the same metal oxide. 

Case Examples. The effects of various oxoanions on EDTA-pro-moted dissolution of lepidocrocite (y-FeOOH) have been studied by Bondietti et al. (33). EDTA was chosen as a reference system because it is dissolution-active over a relatively wide pH range. Phosphate, arsenate, and selenite markedly inhibit the dissolution at near-neutral pH values. At pH <5 phosphate, arsenate, and selenite accelerate the dissolution. It is presumed that the bi-nuclear surface complexes formed at near-neutral pH values by these oxoanions (Table II) inhibit the dissolution. Figure 8a displays data on the effect of selenite on EDTA-promoted dissolution, and Figure 8b shows that calculations on surface speciation by Sposito et al. (35) support the preponderance of binuclear selenite surface complexes in the neutral-pH range. Mononuclear surface species prevail at lower pH values. 

Figure 8. The effect of selenite on the EDTA-promoted dissolution of y-FeOOH 0.5 gIL). Part a At low pH the dissolution rate is increased by selenite at pH 7 it is strongly inhibited. Concentration of the ligands is given in inol/L. Part b Surface speciation on lepidocrocite as a function of pH according to Sposito et al. (35). These data suggest that binuclear selenite surface complexes are formed in the neutral pH range (from reference 33).

---