Structural Incorporation of As5+ into Hematite

Hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) is one of the most common iron oxides and a sink for the toxic metalloid arsenic. Arsenic can be immobilized by adsorption to the hematite surface; however, the incorporation of As in hematite was never seriously considered. In our study we present evidence that, besides adsorption, the incorporation of As into the hematite crystals can be of great relevance for As immobilization. With the coupling of nanoresolution techniques and X-ray absorption spectroscopy the presence of As (up to 1.9 wt %) within the hematite crystals could be demonstrated. The incorporated As5+ displays a short-range order similar to angelellite-like dusters, epitaxially intergrown with hematite. Angelellite (Fe4As2O11), a triclinic iron arsenate with structural relations to hematite, can epitaxially intergrow along the (210) plane with the (0001) plane of hematite. This structural composite of hematite and angelellite-like clusters represents a new immobilization mechanism and potentially long-lasting storage facility for As5+ by iron oxides.