Precipitation, coprecipitation, and association with sulfides

Reduced iron (Fe(II)) and sulfide present in water can precipitate or coprecipitate to form pyrite (FeS2) or other sulfide minerals, often in the presence of organic matter. Groundwater may be enriched in Fe(II) by 

Other metal sulfides, such as galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS), may affect the mobility of arsenic in anoxic environments. However, immobilization depends on surface complexation rather than precipitation. In contrast to iron (oxy)(hydr)oxides (discussed later), As(III) adsorption on galena and sphalerite increases with pH (Bostick, Fendorf and Manning, 2003). Surface complexation does not occur by isomorphic substitution of lead or zinc, or by a ligand exchange mechanism. Instead, multinuclear, inner-surface arsenic-thiosulfide complexes probably form on galena or sphalerite surfaces (Bostick, Fendorf and Manning, 2003). 

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