Solid-phase arsenic speciation in aquifer sediments: A micro-X-ray absorption spectroscopy approach for quantifying trace-level speciation

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
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Abstract

e of this research is to identify the solid-phase sources and geochemical mechanisms of release of As in aquifers of the Des Moines Lobe glacial advance. The overarching concept is that conditions present at the aquifer-aquitard interfaces promote a suite of geochemical reactions leading to mineral alteration and release of As to groundwater. A microprobe X-ray absorption spectroscopy (lXAS) approach is developed and applied to rotosonic drill core samples to identify the solid-phase speciation of As in aquifer, aquitard, and aquifer-aquitard interface sediments. This approach addresses the low solid-phase As concentrations, as well as the fine-scale physical and chemical heterogeneity of the sediments. The spectroscopy data are analyzed using novel cosine-distance and correlation-distance hierarchical clustering for Fe 1s and As 1s lXAS datasets. The solid-phase Fe and As speciation is then interpreted using sediment and well-water chemical data to propose solid-phase As reservoirs and release mechanisms. The results confirm that in two of the three locations studied, the glacial sediment forming the aquitard is the source of As to the aquifer sediments. The results are consistent with three different As release mechanisms: (1) desorption from Fe (oxyhydr)oxides, (2) reductive dissolution of Fe (oxyhydr)oxides, and (3) oxidative dissolution of Fe sulfides. The findings confirm that glacial sediments at the interface between aquifer and aquitard are geochemically active zones for As. The diversity of As release mechanisms is consistent with the geographic heterogeneity observed in the distribution of elevated-As wells.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Solid-phase arsenic speciation in aquifer sediments: A micro-X-ray absorption spectroscopy approach for quantifying trace-level speciation
Series title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
DOI 10.1016/j.gca.2017.05.018
Volume 211
Year Published 2017
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center, Minnesota Water Science Center
Description 28 p.
First page 228
Last page 255
Country United States
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