Batch experiments characterizing the reduction of chromium(VI) using suboxic material from a mildly reducing sand and gravel aquifer

Environmental Science & Technology
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

Batch experiments were conducted with sand collected from a shallow sand and gravel aquifer to identify the principal chemical reactions influencing the reduction of Cr(VI), so that field-observed Cr(V1) reduction could be described. The reduction appeared to be heterogeneous and occurred primarily on Fe(I1)-bearing minerals. At only 1 wt % , the fine fraction (<64 μm diameter) of the sediments dominated the amount of aqueous Cr(V1) reduction because of its greater reactivity and surface area. Although reduction of Cr(V1) increased with decreasing pH, small variations in the abundance of fine fraction among the replicate samples obscured pH trends in the batch experiments. Consistent results could only be obtained by separating the fine material from the sand and running parallel experiments on each fraction. As pH decreased (6.4 to 4.5), Cr(V1) reduction increased from 30 to 50 nmol/m2 for the sand fraction (64-1000 μm) and from 130 to 200 nmol/m2 for the fine fraction. The amount of Cr(V1) reduced in both the sand-sized and fine material increased from 35 to 80 and from 130 to 1000 nmol/m2, respectively, for a 10-fold increase in Cr(VI)initial. A consistent description of the rate data was achieved by assuming that intraparticle diffusion limited the observed rate of reduction.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Batch experiments characterizing the reduction of chromium(VI) using suboxic material from a mildly reducing sand and gravel aquifer
Series title Environmental Science & Technology
DOI 10.1021/es00050a025
Volume 28
Issue 1
Year Published 1994
Language English
Publisher ACS Publications
Contributing office(s) Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
Description 8 p.
First page 178
Last page 185
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details