Fast and efficient remediation of antimony-contaminated surface water and field soil using alumina supported Fe-Mn binary oxide.

Antimony (Sb) pollution in surface water and soil has earned extensive attention. Our previous study synthesized a new class of alumina supported Fe-Mn binary oxide (Fe-Mn@Al2O3) and found that MnO2 in the composite oxidized Sb(III) to Sb(V) and FeOOH and Al2O3 played an indispensable role in adsorption of Sb(III) and Sb(V). This study further explored the removal of Sb in surface water and in situ sequestration of Sb in Sb-contaminated field soil via Fe-Mn@Al2O3. Sb removal from water was pH independent and the removal efficiencies of Sb(III) and total Sb kept constant at 95.4% and 60.5%, respectively, over a pH range of 5.0-10.0. Increasing dissolved organic matter (DOM) from 0 to 22.8 mg/L had negligible effect on Sb(III) removal whereas inhibited the total Sb removal from 60.5% to 51.2%. Dissolved oxygen cannot oxidize aqueous Sb(III), yet, enhanced the Sb(III) removal whereas decreased the total Sb removal. The composite performed well in natural surface water with high DOM and inorganic ligands. In addition, the composite effectively immobilized Sb in field soil. 5% of the composite significantly inhibited the H2SO4 and HNO3 leachable Sb by 93.6% after 30 d. The amendment transformed the Sb speciation from more easily available fractions (i.e., exchangeable, carbonate-bound, and Fe-Mn oxides-bound species) into more stable fractions (i.e., organic material bound and residual species), leading to declined Sb bioaccessibility and reduced environmental risk. The composite facilitated a long-term stability of Sb in soil. The study demonstrated an easy, fast, and effective strategy for efficient immobilization of Sb in water and soil.

Performance and mechanism of simultaneous Sb(III) and Cd(II) removal from water by Fe-Mn binary oxide/bone char.

A novel Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO)/bone char composite (FMBC) was synthesized and utilized to simultaneously adsorb Sb(III) and Cd(II) from aqueous phase in this study. The successful loading of Fe-Mn binary oxide on the bone char surface was revealed by the results of scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction patterns, and energy dispersive spectroscopy of FMBC. The FMBC exhibited remarkable ability of simultaneous removing Sb(III) and Cd(II) from aqueous, and the presence of Cd(II) enhanced Langmuir theoretical maximum adsorption capacity for Sb(III) significantly from 67.8 to 209.0 mg/g. Besides, FMBC could efficiently remove Sb(III) and Cd(II) in the wide initial pH range of 2-7. The influences of ionic strength, co-existing anions, humic acid, and temperature on the adsorption of Sb(III) and Cd(II), and the application potential of FMBC in actual groundwater were investigated. The main mechanisms of Sb(III) and Cd(II) adsorption onto FMBC involved redox, electrostatic interaction, surface complexation, ion exchange, and precipitation. The result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mapping spectrum analysis revealed that Mn(III) on FMBC played the key role in the Sb(III) oxidation, while FeOOH worked as the adsorption sites of FMBC. Meanwhile, the hydroxyapatite on FMBC also contributed to the removal of Cd(II). The presence of Cd(II) not only increased the positive charge on the surface of FMBC but also formed the Fe-Sb-Cd ternary complex, promoting the removal of Sb. This work provides valuable information for the application of FMBO/bone char as a cost-effective adsorbent to remediate co-pollution of Sb(III) and Cd(II) in aqueous environment.

Adsorption performance and its mechanism of aqueous As(III) on polyporous calcined oyster shell-supported Fe-Mn binary oxide.

Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO) is a promising adsorbent for As(III) removal through combined adsorption and oxidation. The calcined oyster shell-supported Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO/OS) adsorbent was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Results indicated that the calcined oyster shell, as a carrier, improved the stability of FMBO and its adsorption capacity for As(III). The maximum adsorption capacity of FMBO/OS on As(III) reached 140.5 mg·g-1 . Under pH 5.0 and 25°C, the removal efficiency of FMBO/OS to As(III) solution (C0 = 10 mg·L-1 ) reached 87% within 12 h. Moreover, based on the characterization analyses, the removal mechanisms of As(III) were deduced to include the combined adsorption and oxidation process of FMBO and the synergistic effect of oyster shells. This work provides new insights into synthesizing efficient and green adsorbents to remove aqueous As(III). Meanwhile, it provides technical support for reusing waste biomass materials such as the oyster shell. PRACTITIONER POINTS: FMBO/OS was prepared by a simple hydrothermal co-precipitation method. The carrier alleviates the agglomeration of Fe-Mn oxides. The adsorbent shows a strong adsorption capacity of As(III) and good selectivity. The good results benefit from the synergistic effect of calcium arsenate generation. The prepared adsorbent can adsorb arsenic in real samples.

[Simultaneous Immobilization of Arsenic, Lead, and Cadmium in Paddy Soils Using Two Iron-based Materials].

Two iron-based materials, Fe-Ca composite (FeCa) and Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO), were applied to immobilize As, Pb, and Cd in heavy metal contaminated paddy soils. Seven kinds of paddy soil (tidal soil) contaminated by arsenic, lead and cadmium were collected from Shangyu, Shaoxing (SY), Foshan, Guangdong (FS), Shaoguan, Guangdong (SG), LiuYang, Hunan (LY), Ganzhou, Jiangxi (GZ), Dushan, Guizhou (DS), and Ma'anshan, Anhui (MAS). The effects of iron-based materials on the dynamic changes of As, Pb, and Cd concentration in soil solution, the stabilization efficacy of available As, Pb, and Cd in soil, and the effects of soil types and properties on stabilization efficacy were studied through soil incubation experiment. The results showed that the content of soil dissolved As, Pb, and Cd were lower in iron-based material treatments than in control throughout the incubation. The addition of two iron-based materials significantly reduced the availability of Cd, Pb, and As. Moreover, the stabilization efficiency of FeCa for As was higher than FMBO, but no significant difference was found in the stabilization efficiency of Pb and Cd between two materials. The stabilization efficiency of As, Pb, and Cd in FeCa treatments could be ordered as GZ > SG > DS and MAS; FS>SY, LY, and SG>MAS; SY, GZ, and DS>MAS, respectively. While the stabilization efficiency for As, Pb, and Cd in FMBO could be ordered as SY, LY, and GZ > DS > FS; FS > GZ > SY; DS > LY > MAS, respectively. In addition, the statistical results showed that the stabilization efficiencies of various soils under the treatment of iron-based materials were significantly correlated with sand content (negatively correlated for As), soil pH (positively correlated for Pb), and clay content (negatively correlated for Cd). In conclusion, the two iron-based materials evaluated in this study may be effective stabilization agents for remediating different types of arsenic-, lead-, and cadmium-contaminated soils.

Synthesis, characterization and application of magnetic nanoparticles modified with Fe-Mn binary oxide for enhanced removal of As(III) and As(V).

Arsenic contamination of drinking water sources is a widespread global problem. Of the As species commonly found in groundwater, As(III) is generally more mobile and toxic than As(V). In this work, magnetic nanoparticles (MNp) modified with Fe-Mn binary oxide (MNp-FeMn) were synthesized in order to develop a low cost adsorbent with high removal efficiency for both arsenic species which can be readily separated from water using a magnetic field. MNp-FeMn were characterized using different techniques including SEM/EDS, XRD and BET analysis. Adsorption of As(III) and As(V) on MNp-FeMn was studied as a function of initial arsenic concentration, contact time, pH, and coexisting anions. The BET specific surface area of MNp-FeMn was 109 m2/g and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) was the dominant precipitated phase. The adsorption rate of As(III) and As(V) on MNp-FeMn was controlled by surface diffusion. FTIR analysis confirms that surface complexation through ligand exchange was the main mechanism for As(III) and As(V) removal on MNp-FeMn, with As(III) conversion to As(V) occurring on the adsorbent surface. The maximal adsorption capacity qmax of MNp for As(III) (26 mg/g) was significantly improved after modification with Fe-Mn binary oxide (56 mg/g), while qmax for As(V) was 51 and 54 mg/g, respectively. PO43-, SiO32- and CO32- reduced As(III) and As(V) uptake at higher concentrations. MNp-FeMn can be easily regenerated and reused with only a slight reduction in adsorption capacity. The high oxidation and sorption capacity of MNp-FeMn, magnetic properties and reusability, suggest this material is a highly promising adsorbent for treatment of arsenic contaminated groundwater.

Arsenic and cadmium removal from water by a calcium-modified and starch-stabilized ferromanganese binary oxide.

A new calcium-modified and starch-stabilized ferromanganese binary oxide (Ca-SFMBO) sorbent was fabricated with different Ca concentrations for the adsorption of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in water. The maximum As(III) and Cd(II) adsorption capacities of 1% Ca-SFMBO were 156.25 mg/g and 107.53 mg/g respectively in single-adsorption systems. The adsorption of As and Cd by the Ca-SFMBO sorbent was pH-dependent at values from 1 to 7, with an optimal adsorption pH of 6. In the dual-adsorbate system, the presence of Cd(II) at low concentrations enhanced As(III) adsorption by 33.3%, while the adsorption of As(III) was inhibited with the increase of Cd(II) concentration. Moreover, the addition of As(III) increased the adsorption capacity for Cd(II) up to two-fold. Through analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), it was inferred that the mechanism for the co-adsorption of Cd(II) and As(III) included both competitive and synergistic effects, which resulted from the formation of ternary complexes. The results indicate that the Ca-SFMBO material developed here could be used for the simultaneous removal of As(III) and Cd(II) from contaminated water.

Preparation and Characterization of Fe-Mn Binary Oxide/Mulberry Stem Biochar Composite Adsorbent and Adsorption of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution.

This study details the preparation of Fe-Mn binary oxide/mulberry stem biochar composite adsorbent (FM-MBC) from mulberry stems via the multiple activation by potassium permanganate, ferrous chloride, triethylenetetramine, and epichlorohydrin. The characteristics of FM-MBC had been characterized by SEM-EDS, BET, FT-IR, XRD, and XPS, and static adsorption batch experiments such as pH, adsorption time, were carried out to study the mechanism of Cr(VI) adsorption on FM-MBC and the impact factors. The results indicated that in contrast with the mulberry stem biochar (MBC), the FM-MBC has more porous on surface with a BET surface area of 74.73 m2/g, and the surface loaded with α-Fe2O3 and amorphization of MnO2 particles. Besides, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, and carbonyls functional groups were also formed on the FM-MBC surface. At the optimal pH 2.0, the maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) was calculated from the Langmuir model of 28.31, 31.02, and 37.14 mg/g at 25, 35, and 45 °C, respectively. The aromatic groups, carboxyls, and the hydroxyl groups were the mainly functional groups in the adsorption of Cr(VI). The mechanism of the adsorption process of FM-MBC for Cr(VI) mainly involves electrostatic interaction, surface adsorption of Cr(VI) on FM-MBC, and ion exchange.

Synthesis of a novel Fe-Mn binary oxide-modified lava adsorbent and its effect on ammonium removal from aqueous solutions.

Ammonium is strongly related to eutrophication and a key control of eutrophication in aquatic systems, especially in agricultural runoff. In this study, a novel Fe-Mn binary oxide-modified lava (FMML) granular adsorbent was synthesized for ammonium removal from aqueous solutions by co-precipitation method. The kinetic data were described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model well and intraparticle diffusion had effects on ammonium adsorption. For pH between 4.0 and 10.0, the adsorption efficiency was >80%, and its optimum was recorded at pH 7.0. FMML exhibited strong ammonium adsorption selectivity under the single presence of cations like Na+ , K+ , Ca2+ , and Mg2+ . The optimum adsorbent dose and particle size were 4 g/L and 3-5 mm, respectively, for an aqueous solution containing 10 mg/L of ammonium under normal conditions (298 K and pH 7.0). Furthermore, the adsorption process was endothermic, following both the Langmuir (R2  > 0.98) and Freundlich (R2  > 0.96) models. Compared with other adsorbents, the FMML can be prepared following a simpler protocol. After 30 times of adsorption-regeneration cycle, the FMML also had a relatively high ammonium adsorption capacity; hence, we see it as a prospective adsorbent for ammonium adsorption from aqueous solutions. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Fe-Mn binary oxide-modified lava with Fe/Mn ratio 3:1 was prepared using co-precipitation method. Adsorption maximum of modified lava was 20.8 mg/g (298 K and pH 7.0). Adsorption was sensitive to changes in adsorbent dose, particle size, and pH. Inorganic cations decreased ammonium adsorption in order of Na+  > K+  > Ca2+  > Mg2+ . Mechanisms for ammonium removal by FMML include diffusion, electrostatic attraction, oxidation, and complexation reaction.

Arsenic stabilization performance of a novel starch-modified Fe-Mn binary oxide colloid.

Arsenic (As) is an environmentally hazardous contaminant and can be a serious threat to human health. In China, the remediation needs for a large number of As-contaminated sites renders a strong demand for efficient remedial reagents and cost-effective approaches. In this study, a novel starch-modified FeMn binary oxide (SFM), an amorphous colloidal material, has been synthesized as a remedial reagent and its As stabilization performance has been evaluated. A set of laboratory batch experiments were carried out with SFM of different dosages directly added into three contaminated soils to immobilize As. Results demonstrated that SFM could transform As in soil from non-specifically and specifically sorbed fractions to the more stable form bounded to amorphous iron hydrous oxides, thus reducing the As concentration in TCLP leachates by up to 93.2%. Results from adsorption tests and microscopic analysis indicated that the interactions between SFM and As are mainly controlled by adsorption, oxidation, and precipitation processes. SFM has abundant surface hydroxyl groups, with excellent adsorption properties for both As(V) and As(III), with the maximum adsorption capacities of 160.63 and 284.64 mg/g respectively at pH 7.0. The adsorption process closely fitted pseudo second-order kinetics and Freundlich isotherm model. SFM could increase soil Eh and oxidize As(III) to As(V), which facilitated the As stabilization in soil. Colloidal iron-based material directly used for stabilization in As contaminated soils is reported here for the first time. Starch modification improves both the reactivity and mobility of the stabilization agent in soil. Our findings propose an efficient and convenient reagent for As remediation in soil.

Enhanced degradation of sulfamethoxazole by Fe-Mn binary oxide synergetic mediated radical reactions.

In this study, a novel Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO), which combined the oxidation capability of iron and manganese oxides, was constructed to remove sulfamethoxazole (SMX) effectively using the simultaneous co-precipitation and oxidation methods, and the reaction products were probed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Particularly, FMBO-mediated transformation mechanisms of SMX were explored using radical scavengers and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Results indicated that the best removal efficiency was obtained at a pH of 4.0, with the H2O2 of 6.0 mmol/L and the FMBO dosage of 2.0 g/L, giving 97.6% removal of 10 mg/L SMX within 60 min. More importantly, we found that the hydroxyl (•OH) radicals generated by FMBO through Fenton-like reaction were responsible for the SMX oxidation. EPR studies were confirmed that the peak intensities of hydroxyl adduct decreased remarkably with increasing pH values. Moreover, the four SMX degradation intermediate products were detected by LC/MS and a reaction pathway for the possible mineralization of SMX, with •OH radicals as the main oxidant, was proposed. These findings provide a novel insight into the removal of SMX by FMBO-mediated radical reactions in aquatic environments. Moreover, this research suggested that FMBO can act as an efficient catalyst to remove SMX in hospital wastewater.

Adsorption behavior and mechanism of Fe-Mn binary oxide nanoparticles: Adsorption of methylene blue.

Wastewater containing organic dyes has caused worldwide concern. It is thus imperative to develop materials to remove organic dyes from wastewater. In this study, a nano-structured Fe-Mn binary oxide (nFMBO) was synthesized via a facile coprecipitation approach and used for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solution. Characteristic results indicated that the as-prepared nFMBO had a typical wrinkled structure. The adsorption performance of the nFMBO was then investigated by batch experiments. The adsorption kinetics was well fitted to a pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the adsorption isotherms agreed well with the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 72.32 mg/g at 25 °C. Solution pH was a key factor for adsorption and the absorbent exhibited better removal efficiency for MB in solution with high pH. In addition, it was found that the investigated coexisting anions (CO32-, SO42-, PO33-) did not have a significant influence on MB removal. More importantly, the nFMBO could be easily separated from the water and regenerated by acid elution, and the adsorption efficiency of the nFMBO only decreased to 85.1% of the initial capacity after five adsorption-regeneration cycles. These results indicate that the nFMBO can become an alternative adsorbent for the removal of MB from wastewater.

Fabrication of Stabilized Fe⁻Mn Binary Oxide Nanoparticles: Effective Adsorption of 17ß-Estradiol and Influencing Factors.

Fe⁻Mn binary oxide nanoparticles (FMBON) were reported to be high performance as adsorbent for pollutants removal from aqueous solution. However, there are still limitations in practice application due to the FMBON tend to aggregate into the micro millimeter level. In order to avoid the agglomeration of nanoparticles, this work synthesized the stabilized Fe⁻Mn binary oxide nanoparticles (CMC-FMBON) by using water-soluble carboxymethyl celluloses (CMC) as the stabilizer. The characteristics of CMC-FMBON and FMBON were measured by using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Zeta potential. This work systematically investigated the adsorption capacity of CMC-FMBON for 17ß-estradiol (E2) and the influences of external environmental factors on E2 removal. The results indicated that CMC-FMBON had much smaller particles, wider dispersion and larger surface area than the FMBON. CMC-FMBON showed better adsorption performance for E2 than FMBON with the maximum adsorption capacity of CMC-FMBON and FMBON were 124.10 and 98.14 mg/g at 298 K, respectively. The experimental data can be well fitted by the model of pseudo-second-order and Langmuir model. The E2 removal by CMC-FMBON was obviously dependent on pH with the maximum adsorption occurring when the pH was acidic. The removal capacity of CMC-FMBON increased when enhancing ionic strength in solution. Background electrolytes promoted slightly E2 adsorption process whereas the presence of humic acid inhibited the E2 removal. π-π interactions, hydrogen bonds, and oxidation might be responsible for E2 removal. This research suggested that the CMC-FMBON has been considered to be a cost-efficient adsorbent for removing E2 from water.

[Stabilization Effects of Fe-Mn Binary Oxide on Arsenic and Heavy Metal Co-contaminated Soils Under Different pH Conditions].

pH is one of the most important factors affecting speciation and stabilization of arsenic and heavy metals in soil. In this study, Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO), synthesized by redox and precipitation reactions, was taken as the research object to evaluate its stabilization effects on As, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in three types of soils under different pH conditions and to study the impacts on soil pH and buffering capacity. The results showed that the leaching concentrations of As and Pb were lower in the pH range of 3-9 (neutral and weak acidic) and 5-10 (neutral and weak alkaline); and Cd, Zn, and Cu were stable in the pH range of 7-11 (alkaline). The stability and stabilization effects of FMBO were better under alkaline conditions than acidic. In the optimal pH range, the optimum stabilization efficiency of FMBO could reach 92.7%, 100%, 97.0%, 88.7%, and 82.7% for As, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu, respectively. In addition, FMBO addition could increase soil pH and the acid buffering capacity moderately, which improved heavy metal stabilization and made it more suitable for acid soils and areas with more acid rain. From the correlation of contaminants and soil elements in the leachates, Fe played an important role in As stabilization, and pH had a great influence on the stabilization of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu.

In situ arsenic oxidation and sorption by a Fe-Mn binary oxide waste in soil.

The ability of a Fe-Mn binary oxide waste to adsorb arsenic (As) in a historically contaminated soil was investigated. Initial laboratory sorption experiments indicated that arsenite [As(III)] was oxidized to arsenate [As(V)] by the Mn oxide component, with concurrent As(V) sorption to the Fe oxide. The binary oxide waste had As(III) and As(V) adsorption capacities of 70mgg-1 and 32mgg-1 respectively. X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure at the As K-edge confirmed that all binary oxide waste surface complexes were As(V) sorbed by mononuclear bidentate corner-sharing, with 2 Fe at ∼3.27Ǻ. The ability of the waste to perform this coupled oxidation-sorption reaction in real soils was investigated with a 10% by weight addition of the waste to an industrially As contaminated soil. Electron probe microanalysis showed As accumulation onto the Fe oxide component of the binary oxide waste, which had no As innately. The bioaccessibility of As was also significantly reduced by 7.80% (p<0.01) with binary oxide waste addition. The results indicate that Fe-Mn binary oxide wastes could provide a potential in situ remediation strategy for As and Pb immobilization in contaminated soils.

Removal of thallium from aqueous solutions using Fe-Mn binary oxides.

In this study, Fe-Mn binary oxides, which harbor the strong oxidative power of manganese dioxide and the high adsorption capacity of iron oxides, were synthesized for Tl(I) removal using a concurrent chemical oxidation and precipitation method. The adsorption of Tl onto the Fe-Mn adsorbent was fast, effective, and selective, with equilibrium sorption reaching over 95% under a broad operating pH (3-12), and high ionic strength (0.1-0.5mol/L). The adsorption can be well fitted with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and the kinetics can be well described by the pseudo-second-order model. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra suggest that surface complexation, oxidation and precipitation were the main mechanisms for the removal of Tl. This study shows that the Fe-Mn binary oxides could be a promising adsorbent for Tl removal.

[Fe-Mn Binary Oxide Impregnated Chitosan Bead (FMCB): An Environmental Friendly Sorbent for Phosphate Removal].

Fe-Mn binary oxide impregnated chitosan bead (FMCB), an environmental friendly sorbent for phosphate removal, was fabricated through impregnating Fe-Mn binary oxide into chitosan matrix. The FMCB was characterized by SEM and BET surface area measurement. The adsorption behavior of phosphate on the FMCB was systemically investigated. The FMCB showed a porous and fibrous structure, with a high BET specific surface area of 248 m2·g-1 and a pore volume of 0.37 m3·g-1. It had a much higher phosphate adsorption capacity than pure chitosan bead. Langmuir model was more suitable for describing the adsorption behavior and the maximal adsorption capacity was as high as 13.3 mg·g-1 at pH 7.0.The kinetic data were well fitted by the pseudo second order model. The phosphate adsorption on FMCB was pH-dependent and decreased with increasing solution pH. Coexisting Ca2+ and Mg2+ enhanced slightly the adsorption of phosphate, while the coexisting anions hindered the phosphate adsorption in the order of SiO32- > CO32- > SO42-≥Cl-. The phosphate-loaded FMCB could be effectively regenerated using NaOH solution and repeatedly used. In column tests, about 800 bed volumes of simulated groundwater containing 3 mg·L-1 were treated before breakthrough (phosphate concentration in effluent reached 0.5 mg·L-1).

Simultaneous removal of Cd(II) and Sb(V) by Fe-Mn binary oxide: Positive effects of Cd(II) on Sb(V) adsorption.

The coexistence of cadmium ion (Cd(II)) and antimonate (Sb(V)) creates the need for their simultaneous removal. This study aims to investigate the effects of positively-charged Cd(II) on the removal of negative Sb(V) ions by Fe-Mn binary oxide (FMBO) and associated mechanisms. The maximum Sb(V) adsorption density (Qmax,Sb(V)) increased from 1.02 to 1.32 and 2.01 mmol/g in the presence of Cd(II) at 0.25 and 0.50 mmol/L. Cd(2+) exhibited a more significant positive effect than both calcium ion (Ca(2+)) and manganese ion (Mn(2+)). Cd(2+) showed higher affinity towards FMBO and increased its ζ-potential more significantly compared to Ca(2+) and Mn(2+). The simultaneous adsorption of Sb(V) and Cd(II) onto FMBO can be achieved over a wide initial pH (pHi) range from 2 to 9, and QSb(V) decreases whereas QCd(II) increases with elevated pHi. Their combined values, as expressed by QSb(V)+Cd(II), amount to about 2 mmol/g and vary slightly in the pHi range 4-9. FTIR and XPS spectra indicate the significant synergistic effect of Cd(II) on Sb(V) adsorption onto FMBO, and that little chemical valence transformation occurs. These results may be valuable for the treatment of wastewater with coexisting heavy metals such as Cd(II) and Sb(V).

Immobilization of selenite in soil and groundwater using stabilized Fe-Mn binary oxide nanoparticles.

Stabilized Fe-Mn binary oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and tested for removal and in-situ immobilization of Se(IV) in groundwater and soil. A water-soluble starch or food-grade carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was used as a stabilizer to facilitate in-situ delivery of the particles into contaminated soil. While bare and stabilized nanoparticles showed rapid sorption kinetics, starch-stabilized Fe-Mn offered the greatest capacity for Se(IV). The Langmuir maximum capacity was determined to be 109 and 95 mg-Se/g-Fe for starch- and CMC-stabilized nanoparticles, respectively, and the high Se(IV) uptake was observed over the typical groundwater pH range of 5-8. Column breakthrough tests indicated that the stabilized nanoparticles were deliverable in a model sandy soil while non-stabilized particles were not. When a Se(IV)-spiked soil was treated in situ with the nanoparticles, >90% water leachable Se(IV) was transferred to the nanoparticle phase, and thereby immobilized as the particles were retained in the downstream soil matrix. The nanoparticle amendment reduced the TCLP (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) leachability and the California WET (waste extraction test) leachability of Se(IV) by 76% and 71%, respectively. The technology holds the potential to fill a major technology gap in remediation of metals-contaminated soil and groundwater.