Hexavalent Chromium Reduction by Tartaric Acid and Isopropyl Alcohol in Mid-Atlantic Soils and the Role of Mn(III,IV)(hydr)oxides

Chromium is a naturally occurring transition metal and a soil contaminant in the Cr(VI) oxidation state, but reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) mitigates its toxicity. Tartaric acid reduces Cr(VI) via a termolecular complex with isopropyl alcohol and Cr(VI), but its efficacy in soils has not been demonstrated. Five Mid-Atlantic soils from Maryland, U.S. were examined for their potential to enhance the reduction of Cr(VI). A control treatment (no soil +12 mM tartaric acid + 0.29 M isopropyl alcohol) reduced 0.37 mM Cr(VI) (19%) in 99 h. Reduction was enhanced to 1.97 mM (99%) with addition of a Russett Ap soil horizon (fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludult). With a half-life of 18.7 h, the rate of reduction of Cr(VI) with the Russett soil sample was 20 times faster than with no soil (371 h). Soil Mn was solubilized in this reaction and plays a role in the enhanced reduction of Cr(VI). Mn(III/IV)-(hydr)oxide-coated quartz sand reduced 1.24 mM (62%) Cr(VI), with all of the Mn(III,IV) (hydr)oxides solubilized. The addition of isopropyl alcohol and tartaric acid to soils enhances the reduction of Cr(VI), and this reduction is further enhanced by the catalytic behavior of Mn(II) from easily reducible Mn(III,IV)(hydr)oxides in soil.