Precipitation pathways for ferrihydrite formation in acidic solutions
Journal Article
·
· Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
- Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Ecosystem Science and Management; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
- Technical Univ. of Denmark, Lyngby (Denmark). Dept. of Physics
- Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Sciences Division
In this study, iron oxides and oxyhydroxides form via Fe3+ hydrolysis and polymerization in many aqueous environments, but the pathway from Fe3+ monomers to oligomers and then to solid phase nuclei is unknown. In this work, using combined X-ray, UV–vis, and Mössbauer spectroscopic approaches, we were able to identify and quantify the long-time sought ferric speciation over time during ferric oxyhydroxide formation in partially-neutralized ferric nitrate solutions ([Fe3+] = 0.2 M, 1.8 < pH < 3). Results demonstrate that Fe exists mainly as Fe(H2O)63+, μ-oxo aquo dimers and ferrihydrite, and that with time, the μ-oxo dimer decreases while the other two species increase in their concentrations. No larger Fe oligomers were detected. Given that the structure of the μ-oxo dimer is incompatible with those of all Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides, our results suggest that reconfiguration of the μ-oxo dimer structure occurs prior to further condensation leading up to the nucleation of ferrihydrite. The structural reconfiguration is likely the rate-limiting step involved in the nucleation process.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Danish Council for Independent Research (DFF); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231; AC02-06CH11357; AC02-76SF00515; AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 1228832
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1228090
OSTI ID: 1456925
OSTI ID: 1398140
- Report Number(s):
- BNL--108457-2015-JA
- Journal Information:
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Journal Issue: C Vol. 172; ISSN 0016-7037
- Publisher:
- The Geochemical Society; The Meteoritical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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