Effects of humic acid on arsenic(V) removal by zero-valent iron from groundwater with special references to corrosion products analyses

The effects of humic acid (HA) on As(V) removal by zero-valent iron (Fe-0) from groundwater, associated with corrosion products analyses, were investigated using batch experiments. it was found that arsenic was rapidly removed from groundwater possibly due to its adsorption and co-precipitation with the corrosion products of Fe-0. The removal rate of arsenic by Fe-0 was inhibited in the presence of HA probably because of the formation of soluble Fe-humate in groundwater which hindered the production of iron precipitates. A longer reaction time was then required for arsenic removal. Such an influence of HA on arsenic removal increased with increasing HA concentration from 5 to 25 mg L-1. The binding capacity of HA for dissolved Fe was estimated to be about 0.75 mg Fe mg(-1) HA. When the complexation of HA with dissolved Fe was saturated, further corrosion of Fe-0 would produce precipitates, which significantly accelerated the removal of arsenic from groundwater via adsorption and co-precipitation with the corrosion products. Iron (hydr)oxides such as maghemite, lepidocrocite, and magnetite were characterized by XRD analyses as the corrosion products, while As(V) was found on the surface of these corrosion products as detected by fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.