Mineralogical Sinks for Antimony in Highly Contaminated Soils
Final Report Abstract
Antimony, an increasingly investigated pollutant, occurs in various environments. Soils polluted by antimony (Sb) can be found, e.g., in the vicinity of smelters, mining sites, and in areas contaminated by shooting activities. Studies on these contaminated soils indicated that Sb is in many cases associated with oxides and oxyhydroxides of iron (Fe), suggesting that these phases may act as a natural barrier for the released Sb. The main goal of this research project was to study the fate Sb in polluted environments. To achieve this goal, we performed both field and laboratory investigations aimed at understanding the interaction of Sb with various oxides and oxyhydroxides of ferric iron, i.e., of Fe(III) or Fe3+. Weathering of rifle bullets deposited in shooting-range soils leads to concentrations of Sb in the soil that exceed considerably the natural background values. We investigated the fate of Sb in two shooting ranges in Switzerland. We focused our investigations on weathering crusts around corroding Sb- and Pb-rich bullets. Using an array of sophisticated micro-analytical techniques, we were able to show that Sb is mostly associated with Fe-oxide and –oxyhydroxide phases and with organic particles. Moreover, Sb is mostly present as Sb(V) and adsorbed to the surfaces of the Fe(III) minerals goethite (α-Fe3+OOH), lepidocrocite (γ-Fe3+OOH), and ferrihydrite (Fe3+OOH•0.4H2O). In the laboratory part of the study, we investigated the geometry of the association between Sb and the Fe(III) phases. For this purpose, we synthesized the phases mentioned above and allowed for Sb sorption onto the surfaces of these minerals. Subsequently, we used X-ray absorption techniques to study the surfaces. The results revealed that Sb(V) forms various types of complexes on the surfaces of these phases and that, at higher concentrations, separate Sb phases may precipitate. In agreement with other studies, our research has shown clearly, that Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides play an important role as scavengers of Sb in soils and acid mine drainage systems. The stability of these phases, thus, determines ultimately the fate of Sb in the environment.
Publications
- (2006): Antimony speciation in highly contaminated soils. Berichte der Deutschen Mineralogischen Gesellschaft, Beihefte zum European Journal of Mineralogy, Vol. 18/1, 4
Ackermann S., Gieré R., Majzlan J.
- (2007): Antimony sinks in contaminated Swiss shooting ranges. Frontiers in Mineral Sciences, Cambridge 2007, Abstract Volume, p. 122
Ackermann S., Majzlan J., Gieré R.
- (2007): Antimony speciation in shooting ranges and its association with iron oxides. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 71, A5-A5
Ackermann S., Gieré R., Majzlan J.
- (2008): Sb sorption complexes on Fe oxide surfaces: an EXAFS study. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72, A5-A5
Ackermann S., Majzlan J., Bolanz R., Gieré R., Newville M.
- (2009): Antimony sinks in the weathering crust of bullets from Swiss shooting ranges. Science of the Total Environment 407, 1669-1682
Ackermann S., Gieré R., Newville M., Majzlan J.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.10.059) - (2009): Matrix composition and community structure analysis of a novel bacterial pyrite leaching community. Environmental Microbiology 11, 2329-2338
Ziegler S., Ackermann S., Majzlan J., Gescher J.
- (2009): Mineralogical composition and weathering of the Sulzburg antimony deposit, Black Forest. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs 41/7, p.330
Gieré R., Chawchai S., Danilewsky A.
- (2009): New data and old problems in the thermodynamics of acid mine drainage. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with programs, 41/7, p.236
Majzlan J., Ackermann S., Grevel K.-D.
- (2009): Thermodynamic and crystallographic properties of kornelite (Fe2(SO4)3•7.75H2O) and paracoquimbite (Fe2(SO4)3•9H2O). American Mineralogist 94, 1620-1628
Ackermann S., Lazic B., Armbruster T., Doyle S., Grevel K.-D., Majzlan J.
- (2009): Thermodynamic properties of kornelite (Fe2(SO4)3•7.75H2O) and paracoquimbite (Fe2(SO4)3•9H2O). Goldschmidt Conference Abstracts 2009, A9
Ackermann S., Lazic B., Armbruster T., Doyle S., Grevel K.-D., Majzlan J.
