PH-dependent photochemical transformation of arsenic sulfide sludge catalyzed by Fe ions under visible light irradiation

Abstract

Arsenic sulfide sludge (ASS) is a typical precipitation product of acid smelting wastewater. Previous study reported that when exposed to sunlight, the release and oxidation of As(III) in ASS were markedly accelerated. However, the key factor to trigger the photocatalytic transformation of ASS is still unclear. Herein, we revealed that the coexisting Fe(II)/Fe(III) ions were critical to promote the photo-oxidation of released As(III) under visible light. We further validated that Fe(II)-stimulated photo-oxidation mechanism of As(III) in ASS was pH-dependent. In acid conditions, OH and SO4− were promoted by Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycling catalysis with the assistance of the reductive sulfur species from ASS, e.g. S2− and SO32−, and thus accelerated the oxidation of As(III). While in neutral conditions, the nascent ferric hydroxide colloids enhanced the oxidation rate of As(III) via photo-induced ligand-to-metal-charge transfer (LMCT) mechanism. These findings help in predicting and controlling the fate of real arsenic-containing sludge in sunlit environments.