Coprecipitation of Large Scorodite Particles from Aqueous Fe(II) and As(V) Solution by Oxygen Injection

Abstract

A novel method for synthesizing large scorodite (FeAsO₄·2H₂O) particles was recently developed for the fixation of arsenic. This method involves the coprecipitation of scorodite particles from an Fe(II) and As(V) aqueous solution at approximately 95°C by oxygen injection. In order to understand the process of coprecipitation of scorodite particles by this method, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used for characterizing reaction products extracted from the suspension during the reaction. The SEM observation showed that the formation of large scorodite particles was almost completed after a reaction time of 3 h, and then, fine particles precipitated on the large particles by further reactions. The XRD results indicated that scorodite particles with specific lattice parameters were formed in the reaction. The XPS results indicated that the arsenic composition on the surface of the scorodite particles decreased until 3 h from the start of precipitation reaction and increased thereafter. These results correspond to the results on the morphology of the scorodite particles obtained by SEM. Furthermore, X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) in the range of X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) were measured for gel-like reaction products formed in the initial stages of the reaction. The spectra revealed that the gel-like reaction products were composed of Fe(II) and Fe(III). The coprecipitation of scorodite particles synthesized by the novel method is discussed on the basis of these results together with previous results on the analyses of iron and arsenic concentrations in solution.