An interdisciplinary physical-chemical approach for characterization of arsenic in a calciner residue dump in Cornwall (UK). Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) [Environ Pollut] Journal article | | Title | An interdisciplinary physical-chemical approach for characterization of arsenic in a calciner residue dump in Cornwall (UK). | | Author(s) | van Elteren JT, Slejkovec Z, Arcon I, Glass HJ | | Institution | National Institute of Chemistry (KI), Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia. elteren@ki.si | | Source | Environ Pollut 2006 Feb; 139(3):477-88. | | MeSH | Arsenic
Chemistry, Physical
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
England
Environmental Monitoring
Industrial Waste
Mining
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Soil Pollutants
Spectrophotometry
X-Ray Diffraction
| | Abstract | During the later stages of hard-rock mining in Cornwall, UK, widespread processing and refining of arsenic in purpose-built calciners resulted in severe, localized contamination of soils with arsenic. Several physical-chemical techniques were applied to characterize arsenic in a calciner residue dump: X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), sequential extraction combined with hyphenated speciation methods, and X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) methods such as XANES (X-ray absorption near-edge structure) and EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure). Arsenic was predominantly present in pentavalent form, bound to amorphous or poorly-crystalline hydrous oxides of Fe (probably alpha-hematite). A small amount of a non-classified crystalline iron arsenate phase was found, viz. Fe2(As(AsO4)3). There was also evidence for the presence of some arsenate bound to quartz (alpha-SiO2). The overall results make us believe that the normally assumed relative safety, from a mobility point of view, is questionable since only a small fraction of arsenic is found in a crystalline iron arsenate form. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 16102880 |
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