ABSTRACT
The adsorption and post adsorption behavior of schwertmannite with various oxyanions were investigated for clean-up contaminated water with hazardous oxyanions and safe disposal of spent schwertmannite. The result of adsorption experiments showed that the maximum capacities of oxyanions adsorption onto schwertmannite are 1.023, 0.934, 0.723 and 0.313 mmol/g for arsenate, phosphate, chromate and selenate, respectively. Based on the differences in the adsorption capacities, the selectivity of oxyanion adsorption on schwertmannite decreases as the order: arsenate ≥ phosphate > chromate >> selenate. Change in the Zeta potential after adsorption by arsenate, phosphate and chromate were very different from those after adsorption by selenate and of the original schwertmannite. This difference implies that the adsorption mechanism on schwertmannite with arsenate, phosphate and chromate is different from that with selenate and sulfate. Arsenate, phosphate, and chromate ions form inner-sphere complexes with the surface of schwertmannite, while selenate and sulfate ions form outer-sphere complexes with the surface of schwertmannite. Based on a comparison with anion adsorption, strong base anions form inner-sphere complexes, which induce a strong adsorption with schwertmannite as well as it is conducive to high adsorption capacity. From the results of aging experiments, schwertmannite with sulfate and selenate changed to a more stable phase, goethite, in a short time, whereas there is no change in the XRD patterns of schwertmannite with arsenate and phosphate after 30 days. The stability of schwertmannite after the adsorption increased in the following order: sulfate ≌ selenate « chromate < phosphate ≌ arsenate. The solubility of schwertmannite with different oxyanions was calculated according to solid solution theory. The solubility of schwertmannite decreased after adsorption of oxyanions with high selectivity. It is concluded that oxyanions with high selectivity can stabilize schwertmannite by decreasing the solubility of the schwertmannite after adsorption of the oxyanions.