Distinct effect of humic acid on ferrihydrite colloid-facilitated transport of arsenic in saturated media at different pH

Jie Maa, b, c, d,*, Huaming Guoc, Liping Wenga, Yongtao Lia, b, Mei Leid, Yali Chena

a Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, China

b College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, China

c State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, China

d Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

email address: majie@caas.cn

Arsenic (As) contamination of soil, surface water and groundwater is widespread in the world due to mining exploitation and hydrogeological occurrence. Arsenic mobility increased in liquid phase due to association with FHC through formation of inner-sphere complexation. Moreover, dissolved organic matter (DOM) or organic colloids regulate the transport and fate of colloid and colloid-associated contaminants. Humic acid (HA), the most representative organic matter in soils, are important in controlling the distance of FHC transport and deposition position in porous media. However, little is known about effects of humic acid colloid (HAC) and FHC interaction on transport and deposition of As in porous media. Co-transport of HAC-FHC and As at different pH was systematically investigated by monitoring breakthrough curves (BTCs) in saturated sand columns. Colloid and solute transport models were used to reveal mechanisms of As transport with HAC-FHC in porous media. Our data indicated that the interaction between HAC and FHC highly influenced the fate of FHC-associated As. Although HAC with high concentrations enhanced FHC transport and further facilitated transport of FHC-associated As, an excess of HAC occupied the adsorption sites of FHC and thus decreased As co-transport with the mixed HAC-FHC colloids. Humic acid colloid-enhanced FHC transport and As adsorption on the mixed colloids were controlled by environmental pH. Although, under the alkaline condition, HAC significantly enhanced FHC and As transport, more As was adsorbed on the mixed colloid and co-transported under slightly alkaline or neutral pH conditions when chain-shaped HAC was present. With decreasing pH, As was gradually co-deposited with FHC since HAC was transformed to sphere-shaped one. The fate of As changed from co-transport with HAC-FHC to co-deposition when environmental pH further decreased. Future research should focus on applying surface complexation models, such as charge distribution multisite surface complexation (CD-MUSIC) and ligand charge distribution (LCD) models, and reactive transport models to quantify colloid-facilitated transport of contaminants in order to understand the micro-interfacial process and co-transport mechanisms of colloids and contaminants.

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