Dissolution and solubility of the arsenate - phosphate hydroxylapatite solid solution [Ca5(PxAs1 - xO4)3(OH)] at 25°C

Abstract

Environmental contextApatites form a large family of minerals and compounds that can incorporate a variety of ions, including arsenate that can substitute for phosphate. Apatites may therefore control the concentration of arsenic in some aqueous environments. This manuscript describes the synthesis and characterisation of the arsenate–phosphate hydroxylapatite solid solution and the solid solution–aqueous solution interaction. Abstract Nine different members of the arsenate–phosphate hydroxylapatite solid solution [Ca5(PxAs1–xO4)3(OH)] were prepared and characterised by various techniques, and then dissolution of the synthetic solids was studied at 25°C and pH 2 in a series of batch experiments. The concentrations of aqueous arsenate species increased rapidly at the beginning of the dissolution and reached a steady-state after 480 h. The concentrations of aqueous phosphate species increased very fast initially and reached a peak value within the first hour of dissolution and then declined slowly with time and remained constant after 240–360 h. The solubility of the Ca5(PxAs1–xO4)3(OH) solid solution increased and its stability decreased with an increase in the mole fraction of Ca5(AsO4)3(OH). The dissolution followed or slightly overshot the Lippmann solutus curve, then approached the solutus curve. The Ca5(AsO4)3(OH)-poor solid solution was in equilibrium with the arsenate-rich aqueous solution.