Stable Element Concentrations Research Articles

Can stable elements (Cs and Sr) be used as proxies for the estimation of radionuclide soil-plant transfer factors?

Transfer parameters are key inputs for modeling radionuclide transfer in the environment and estimating risk to humans and wildlife. However, there are no data for many radionuclide-foodstuff/wildlife species combinations. The use of parameters derived from stable element data when data for radionuclides are lacking is increasingly common. But, do radionuclides and stable elements behave in a sufficiently similar way in the environment? To answer this question, at least for soil to plant transfer, sampling was conducted in four different countries (England, Kazakhstan, Spain and Ukraine) affected by different anthropogenic radionuclide source terms (in chronological order: global fallout, Semipalatinsk Test Site, the 1957 Windscale accident and the 1986 Chernobyl accident) together with a bibliographical review. Soil to grass transfer parameters (ratio between dry matter concentrations in plant and soil), Fv, for 137Cs and 90Sr were significantly higher than those for stable elements, suggesting that the use of the latter could lead to underestimating radionuclide concentrations in plant samples Transfer parameters for 137Cs and stable Cs were linearly correlated, with a slope of 1.54. No such correlation was observed for 90Sr and stable Sr, the mean value of the 90Sr:Sr ratio was 35 ranging (0.33–126); few data were available for the Sr comparison. The use of radionuclide transfer parameters, whenever possible, is recommended over derivation from stable element concentrations. However, we acknowledge that for many radionuclides there will be few or no radionuclide data from environmental studies. From analyses of the data collated there is evidence of a decreasing trend in the Fv(137Cs)/Fv(Cs) ratio with time from the Chernobyl accident.

Monitoring of Sierra Nevada Caves Reveals the Potential for Stalagmites to Archive Seasonal Variability

In the southwestern United States, California (CA) is one of the most climatically sensitive regions given its low (≤250 mm/year) seasonal precipitation and its inherently variable hydroclimate, subject to large magnitude modulation. To reconstruct past climate change in CA, cave calcite deposits (stalagmites) have been utilized as an archive for environmentally sensitive proxies, such as stable isotope compositions (δ18O, δ13C) and trace element concentrations (e.g., Mg, Ba, Sr). Monitoring the cave and associated surface environments, the chemical evolution of cave drip-water, the calcite precipitated from the drip-water, and the response of these systems to seasonal variability in precipitation and temperature is imperative for interpreting stalagmite proxies. Here we present monitored drip-water and physical parameters at Lilburn Cave, Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park (Southern Sierra Nevada), CA, and measured trace element concentrations (Mg, Sr, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn) and stable isotopic compositions (δ18O, δ2H) of drip-water and for calcite (δ18O) precipitated on glass substrates over a two-year period (November 2018 to February 2021) to better understand how chemical variability at this site is influenced by local and regional precipitation and temperature variability. Despite large variability in surface temperatures and precipitation amount and source region (North Pacific vs. subtropical Pacific), Lilburn Cave exhibits a constant cave environment year-round. At two of the three sites within the cave, drip-water δ18O and δ2H are influenced seasonally by evaporative enrichment. At a third collection site in the cave, the drip-water δ18O responds solely to precipitation δ18O variability. The Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca, and Sr/Ca ratios are seasonally responsive to prior calcite precipitation at all sites but minimally to water-rock interaction. Lastly, we examine the potential of trace metals (e.g., Mn2+ and Cu2+as a geochemical proxy of recharge and find that variability in their concentrations has high potential to denote the onset of the rainy season in the study region. The drip-water composition is recorded in the calcite, demonstrating that stalagmites from Lilburn Cave, and potentially more regionally, could record seasonal variability in weather even during periods of substantially reduced rainfall.

Multivariate statistical analysis of stable isotope signatures and element concentrations to differentiate the geographical origin of retail milk sold in Singapore

Singapore's reliance on imported foods makes the country susceptible to food fraud and food safety related incidents. To ensure authenticity of food source and indirectly food quality and safety, the development of an independent system that can trace the origin of a food is important to compliment the existing paper-based approach. A scientific approach to food traceability using isotope ratio and element concentration measurements was demonstrated using dairy milk as an example matrix. An iterative stepwise linear discriminant analysis procedure applied to the isotope ratios and element concentrations of 57 milk samples separated them into their six different country of origins. Si, Se, Li, B, Rb, Ba, P, Mn, Mo, Pb and the δ13C and δ15N of the defatted milk casein were found to be the key parameters providing maximum discrimination. The model was successfully evaluated with a blind-test, comprising of 10 samples with origins unknown to the analysts.

Geographical origin identification of garlic cultivated in Korea using isotopic and multi-elemental analyses

Authentication of geographical origin is important in protecting agricultural products with registered trademarks. This study determined the geographical origin of garlic cultivated in the Republic of Korea using stable isotope ratios and multi-element concentrations. The isotope ratio reflected cultivation practice and environmental conditions. The major (Ca, Mg, P, S, Al, and Sr) and trace (As and Se) element concentrations were influenced by the bedrock in the garlic cultivation regions. Discriminant analysis (DA) using selected variables for garlic from different cultivation regions showed that 89% of the garlic was correctly classified according to the region of geographical cultivation with different lithological and climatic conditions. Stable isotopic compositions coupled to element concentrations showed better discriminating power than DA only with stable isotopic compositions or element concentrations. Therefore, the combination of a stable isotope ratio and multi-elemental concentrations is a useful tool for identifying garlic from different geographical origins.

Variations in chemical element compositions in different types of Holocene calcareous root tubes in the Tengger Desert, NW China, and their palaeoenvironmental significance

Calcareous root tubes (CRTs) contain abundant information about palaeoenvironmental conditions and have been used for palaeoenvironmental studies in the desert hinterlands of arid regions. However, as subclasses of CRTs, calcareous sheaths and rhizocretions are formed by different processes, and it remains unclear whether these differences produce variations in the chemical element composition. Furthermore, it remains uncertain whether variations in chemical element concentrations amongst different subclasses of the CRTs can affect palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. In this study, we collected 54 CRT samples from the Tengger Desert of northwestern China. All samples were dated by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dating, and the chemical element composition and concentration differences of the two CRT subclasses were determined using X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry. The CRT samples were dated to the Holocene. The calcareous sheath and rhizocretion samples contained varying concentrations of the same chemical elements. The rhizocretions had high concentrations of mobile elements (Ca, Mg and Sr) and P, whereas the calcareous sheaths had high concentrations of stable elements, including Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Rb and Ba. These differences were due to the different formation processes of the two subclasses of CRTs. Moreover, the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in the calcareous sheaths were higher than those in the rhizocretions from the same period, but these ratio differences had little effect on palaeo‐effective moisture reconstructions at the millennial scale during the Holocene. The reconstructions were not influenced by the various CRT subclasses. The Holocene millennial‐scale moisture changes in the Tengger Desert revealed by the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios showed that there was an arid period during the Early Holocene, a humid period during the Middle Holocene and a humid to arid period during the Late Holocene.

Radionuclide transfer to wildlife at a ‘Reference site’ in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and resultant radiation exposures

This study addresses a significant data deficiency in the developing environmental protection framework of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, namely a lack of radionuclide transfer data for some of the Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs). It is also the first study that has sampled such a wide range of species (invertebrates, plants, amphibians and small mammals) from a single terrestrial site in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Samples were collected in 2014 from the 0.4 km2 sampling site, located 5 km west of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power complex. We report radionuclide (137Cs, 90Sr, 241Am and Pu-isotopes) and stable element concentrations in wildlife and soil samples and use these to determine whole organism-soil concentration ratios and absorbed dose rates.Increasingly, stable element analyses are used to provide transfer parameters for radiological models. The study described here found that for both Cs and Sr the transfer of the stable element tended to be lower than that of the radionuclide; this is the first time that this has been demonstrated for Sr, though it is in agreement with limited evidence previously reported for Cs.Studies reporting radiation effects on wildlife in the CEZ generally relate observations to ambient dose rates determined using handheld dose meters. For the first time, we demonstrate that ambient dose rates may underestimate the actual dose rate for some organisms by more than an order of magnitude. When reporting effects studies from the CEZ, it has previously been suggested that the area has comparatively low natural background dose rates. However, on the basis of data reported here, dose rates to wildlife from natural background radionuclides within the CEZ are similar to those in many areas of Europe.

Transfer parameters for ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants in a terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystem

A system for the radiological protection of the environment (or wildlife) based on Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) has been suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). To assess whole-body activity concentrations for RAPs and the resultant internal dose rates, transfer parameters are required. However, transfer values specifically for the taxonomic families defined for the RAPs are often sparse and furthermore can be extremely site dependent. There is also a considerable geographical bias within available transfer data, with few data for Mediterranean ecosystems. In the present work, stable element concentrations (I, Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, S, K. Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb and U) in terrestrial RAPs, and the corresponding whole-body concentration ratios, CRwo, were determined in two different Mediterranean ecosystems: a Pinewood and a Dehesa (grassland with disperse tree cover). The RAPs considered in the Pinewood ecosystem were Pine Tree and Wild Grass; whereas in the Dehesa ecosystem those considered were Deer, Rat, Earthworm, Bee, Frog, Duck and Wild Grass. The CRwo values estimated from these data are compared to those reported in international compilations and databases.

Physiological, elemental, and stable isotope responses of the organs of mungbean to reduced atmospheric pressure

The effects of hypobaric conditions on stable isotope and mineral element concentrations during the germination of mungbean [Vigna radiata (Linn.) Wilczek] were evaluated. Mungbean seeds were cultured in lower atmospheric pressure (60 kPa) and normal air pressure (101 kPa) conditions, respectively. Oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures were maintained at 21 and 0.04 kPa, respectively. At 60 kPa, the fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) of plants significantly increased by 5.41 and 9.62%, respectively, compared to those at 101 kPa after culturing for 7 d. Twelve mineral elements were compared among three organs (leaf, stem, and root) from seedlings grown under hypobaric and normal atmospheric conditions. This showed that lower air pressure generally improved element accumulation in the plant. A significantly lower value of δ 13C was observed at 60 kPa compared to that at 101 kPa. In addition, a significant increase in δ 15N value was detected in three different organs of plants grown under 60 kPa. Our survey provides a foundation for future field and laboratory studies on the influence of air pressure on plants, particularly in terms of stable isotope and mineral elements.

HELGES: Helmholtz Laboratory for the Geochemistry of the Earth Surface

New developments in Geochemistry during the last two decades have revolutionized our understanding of the processes that shape Earth's surface. Here, complex interactions occur between the tectonic forces acting from within the Earth and the exogenic forces like climate that are strongly modulated by biota and, increasingly today, by human activity. Within the Helmholtz Laboratory for the Geochemistry of the Earth Surface (HELGES) of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, it is our goal to quantify the rates and fluxes of these processes in detail and to develop new techniques to fingerprint them over various temporal and spatial scales. We use mass spectrometry facilities to analyze metal stable isotopes, element concentrations and cosmogenic nuclides to fingerprint and quantify geomorphological changes driven by erosion and weathering processes. We use these novel geochemical tools, to quantify, for example, the recycling of metals in plants after their release during weathering of rocks and soils, soil formation and its erosion rates, and mechanisms and speed of sediment transport through drainage basins. Our research is thus dedicated towards understanding material turnover rates at the Earth's surface by using geochemical fingerprints.

Geochemical Characteristics of Eolian Deposits on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Provenance

AbstractEolian dust deposition is intimately related to atmospheric circulation and environmental setting of the source region, and therefore is an invaluable tool for studying the evolutionary history of atmospheric circulation patterns and paleoclimatic change. Identifying the provenance of any eolian deposit is crucial not only for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental history of the dust source region, but also for understanding the paleoclimatic significance of various indices. Loess and paleosol samples from the Garze region on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) were analyzed for their elemental (major and trace elements) and isotopic (Sm‐Nd) geochemistry and compared with those of Northern Chinese (NC) loess formed at the same age. The results show that the geochemical compositions of the Garze loess and paleosol samples are similar to those eolian deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), and also resemble the average UCC. This indicates that the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP were derived from well‐mixed sedimentary protoliths that had undergone numerous upper crustal recycling processes, just as with the CLP loess deposits. However, compared with NC loess, the Garze samples have higher ΣREE, Li, Rb, Zr, Cs, Hf and Bi concentrations, higher TiO2/Al2O3, Hf/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Nb and lower K2O/TiO2, Zr/Hf, Ba/Rb ratios. From the Sm‐Nd isotopic geochemistry, εNd(0) and 147Sm/144Nd values of Garze loess and paleosol samples are clearly lower than the NC loess. The higher Bi, Zr and Hf concentrations are relevant to the widely distributed acid‐magmatic rocks in this region, whereas the higher contents of Li, Cs, Rb are attributed to the high background values of the TP. The geochemical characteristics of the Garze loess and paleosol samples further prove that the local glacial and other Quaternary detrital sediments are predominantly the contributors for the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP. Stable element concentrations and their ratios in the Garze loess and paleosol samples formed at different times have relatively greater variation ranges in comparison with the NC loess, indicating that the source regions for eolian deposits have been unstable since the late Early Pleistocene. We attribute the instability of dust sources to variable earth surface conditions and the changeable TP winter monsoon in direction and intensity, which are in turn related to the uplift of the TP.

Marine and freshwater concentration ratios (CRwo-water): review of Japanese data

The water-to-organism (whole body) concentration ratio (CRwo-water), which is defined as the ratio of the concentration of a radionuclide in the biota (Bqkg−1 fresh weight) to that in water (BqL−1), has been used in mathematical models for environmental radiation protection. In the present paper, published global fallout 90Sr, 137Cs, 106Ru, 144Ce and 239+240Pu activity concentration data and stable element concentration data for Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Mn for organisms living in freshwater or seawater areas in Japan were collated. The data suitable for obtaining CRwo-water values were identified. CRwo-water values of 137Cs were similar for pelagic fish, benthic fish and whitebait (immature, small fish) with respective geometric means of 30 (range: 4.4–69), 32 (range: 15–54) and 33 (range: 13–84). The calculated CRwo-water values of the other radionuclides and stable elements were generally similar to other previously reported values; with the exception that those for Ce were lower for marine biota and those of Cu were higher for freshwater fish.

Fish scale δ15N and δ13C values provide biogeochemical tags of fish comparable in performance to element concentrations in scales and otoliths

Natural variability in stable isotope ratios and element concentrations in calcified structures of fish (e.g. scales and otoliths) has provided biogeochemical ‘tags’ for studying origins and movements of marine species, but has been little used in freshwater studies. We examine whether variability in scale δ15N and δ13C values of Salmo trutta L., could provide a tag of fish over small spatial scales in a small river catchment (River Dee, U.K.) and compared their performance as tags with that of scale/otolith element concentrations. Whole scale δ15N and δ13C values differed among six study sites and fish could be classified to their site of origin with a high degree of accuracy. Classifying fish to their site of capture was marginally superior using scale δ15N and δ13C values compared to that achieved using Sr, Mn, Ba and Mg in scale hydroxyapatite or otolith aragonite. Scale δ15N and δ13C values could therefore provide non-lethally collectable biogeochemical tags superior in performance to element concentrations in otoliths and scales. A comprehensive study of δ15N and δ13C values within freshwater systems would develop our understanding of factors influencing geographical variability in baseline δ15N and δ13C signatures.

Variation in background concentrations and specific activities of 36Cl, 129I and U/Th-series radionuclides in surface waters

Assessment of the potential environmental impacts of nuclear fuel waste involves multiple lines of argument, one of which is an evaluation of the possible increments to background concentrations of certain radionuclides. This is especially relevant for radionuclides such as 3H, 36Cl and 129I where there is continuous cosmogenic or geogenic production. However, for 36Cl and 129I and certain U/Th-series radionuclides, data are scarce because the analysis methods are complex and costly. The present study used accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) to measure36Cl and 129I in river waters throughout Canada. Radiochemical methods were used for 3H and the selected U/Th-series radionuclides, and stable element concentrations were also determined. There were distinct differences in concentrations among the sites. Stable Cl and I tended to be at higher concentrations near the ocean or population centres. The 3H was high in regions with power reactors. The 226Ra, 235U and 238U concentrations were high in areas with known U mineralizations, as expected. The 36Cl and 129I concentrations were generally homogenous in mid-latitudes, but the 129I concentration was lower in the one arctic site sampled. Because the stable and radioactive isotopes of Cl and I varied in response to different factors, the resulting specific activities were especially variable. Both Cl and I are homeostatically controlled in animals, thus it follows that dose from 36Cl and 129I will depend more closely on specific activity than concentration, and therefore the environmental increments of interest are in the specific activities rather than simply concentrations.

Can elemental composition data of crop leaves be used to estimate radionuclide transfer to tree leaves?

Estimation of radionuclide concentrations in trees may be required to estimate their radiation exposure. However, concentration ratios of radionuclides from soil to tree species are limited for many radionuclide-tree combinations. To fill this gap, it is investigated in the present paper whether stable element concentration data for leafy vegetables are representative of those for wild tree leaves, and consequently, if these stable element data for leafy vegetables can be used as analogues to describe radionuclides transfer from soil to trees. Data for stable elements in leafy vegetables collected in Japan were compared with those in leaves of about 20 tree species worldwide. The correlation coefficients of element concentrations between leafy vegetables and tree leaves were higher than 0.90 with p < 0.001 by Student's t test, and geometric means of concentration data for most elements were within the range of data for leafy vegetables. Thus, transfer parameters derived from stable element data for leafy vegetables could generally be used to estimate concentrations in tree leaves if data for the latter are not available. However, some trees accumulate a few elements (e.g., Al, Co, Mn and Si) in their leaves to higher concentrations than observed for leafy vegetables.

Sediment-Water Distribution Coefficients of Stable Elements in Four Estuarine Areas in Japan

Sediment-water distribution coefficients (Kds) were obtained in estuarine areas of four A-class rivers in Japan. The total concentrations of stable elements and naturally occurring radionuclide (i.e., Na, Mg, K, Ca, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Cd, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Pb, and U) in the estuarine water at each sampling point and in the corresponding sediment sample were measured. Kds of most of the elements varied within one order of magnitude regarding their differences between minimum and maximum values of each element at all the stations. However, a wide variation of Kds of Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Rb, and La was observed. In addition, geometric means (GMs) of observed Kds were compared with the recommended values in the IAEA Technical Report Series 422 (TRS-422). The results showed that GMs of Kds for most of the elements agreed well with the recommended values, but GMs of Kds for Mn, Fe, and Cd were more than 10 times lower than the recommended values. The obtained Kd values could be important to investigate the behavior, transport, and fate of artificial radionuclide and to assess the radiological doses in estuarine areas.

Rare earth elements in tropical surface water, soil and sediments of the Terengganu River Basin, Malaysia

The 14 stable rare earth element (REE) concentrations and distribution patterns were investigated for surface waters ( n=51), soils ( n=52) and sediments ( n=42) from the tropical Terengganu River basin, Malaysia. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of soils developed on four geological units showed enrichment of LREE, a pronounced negative Eu, and depletion of HREE with an enrichment order granite>>metasedimentary>alluvium>volcanic. The REE patterns in sediments reflected the soil REE patterns with an overall order of abundance LREE>>MREE>HREE, however, positive Ce anomaly was either weak or absent in sediments. The chondrite normalized REE patterns for sediments also produced near-neighbor concentration anomalies (Eu-Gd-Tb). The dissolved ∑REE concentrations increased systematically in surface waters with distance from the upstream (<1 μg/L) to the downstream (∼54 μg/L) along the flow path revealing TDS as one of the major controls. River waters registered 85 times higher average ∑REE concentration than the lake waters. While soils and sediments registered a positive Ce anomaly, lake surface waters showed a slight negative anomaly. This was possibly due to the fixation of Ce onto the secondary oxides of Fe and Al and seemed to be immobile under the prevailing pH-redox conditions. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of river water carried strong signature of local geology which significantly differed from lake water REE patterns especially the MREE (Nd to Ho). Dissolved REE concentrations were measured to be higher than other large tropical rivers such as Amazon, Congo and Sepik. Principal component analysis of two main components (accounting for 99.6%) revealed three groups: HREE, LREE and anomalous.

Understanding Oceanic Migrations with Intrinsic Biogeochemical Markers

Migratory marine vertebrates move annually across remote oceanic water masses crossing international borders. Many anthropogenic threats such as overfishing, bycatch, pollution or global warming put millions of marine migrants at risk especially during their long-distance movements. Therefore, precise knowledge about these migratory movements to understand where and when these animals are more exposed to human impacts is vital for addressing marine conservation issues. Because electronic tracking devices suffer from several constraints, mainly logistical and financial, there is emerging interest in finding appropriate intrinsic markers, such as the chemical composition of inert tissues, to study long-distance migrations and identify wintering sites. Here, using tracked pelagic seabirds and some of their own feathers which were known to be grown at different places and times within the annual cycle, we proved the value of biogeochemical analyses of inert tissue as tracers of marine movements and habitat use. Analyses of feathers grown in summer showed that both stable isotope signatures and element concentrations can signal the origin of breeding birds feeding in distinct water masses. However, only stable isotopes signalled water masses used during winter because elements mainly accumulated during the long breeding period are incorporated into feathers grown in both summer and winter. Our findings shed new light on the simple and effective assignment of marine organisms to distinct oceanic areas, providing new opportunities to study unknown migration patterns of secretive species, including in relation to human-induced mortality on specific populations in the marine environment.

Radioactive and stable elements’ concentration in medicinal plants from Brazil

Since the early days of mankind, plants have been used as food and for medicinal purposes. Still, little information exists in literature about the activity concentration of 238U and 232Th decay products, as well as stable element concentrations in Brazilian plants. Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb, and chemical concentrations of As, Ba, Br, Cs, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Yb, Zn and Zr were determined in ten samples commonly used in Brazilian medicinal plants.

Characterization of calibration materials for trace element analysis and fingerprint studies of gold using LA-ICP-MS

Two solid gold calibration materials were characterized in terms of element composition and distribution to investigate their applicability for fingerprint studies on Peruvian gold objects. The two calibration materials provide access to elements, which are important for archaeological investigations and fingerprint studies of gold objects. Furthermore, these calibration materials contain Ag as a major element, which provide matrix-matched calibration for the analysis of gold artifacts. The quantification of the potential calibration materials was carried out by LA-ICP-MS using solution calibration. The calibration solutions contained all necessary elements, which were prepared by transferring Ag into a chloro-complex and diluting the multi-element solutions with hydrochloric-acid in order to obtain stable element concentrations. The applicability of this calibration approach was validated by using NIST 8053 and NIST 8062 reference materials. The accuracy and precision were found to be better than 8% and 5%, respectively, for most of the determined elements. Investigations of selected Pre-Columbian gold artifacts showed the applicability of the produced gold calibration materials. The quantitative analyses for a wide range of elements of various gold artifacts contribute to further investigation of the provenance of gold types applied in the early Peruvian cultures.

Arsenic distribution in the dissolved, colloidal and particulate size fraction of experimental solutions rich in dissolved organic matter and ferric iron

Due to the widespread contamination of groundwater resources with arsenic (As), controls on As mobility have to be identified. In this study we focused on the distribution of As in the dissolved, colloidal and particulate size fraction of experimental solutions rich in ferric iron, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and As(V). Size fractions between <5 kDa and >0.2 μm were separated by filtration and their elemental composition was analyzed. A steady-state particle size distribution with stable element concentration in the different size classes was attained within 24 h. The presence of DOM partly inhibited the formation of large Fe-(oxy)hydroxide aggregates, thus stabilized Fe in complexed and colloidal form, when initially adjusted molar Fe/C ratios in solution were <0.1. Dissolved As concentrations and the quantity of As bound to colloids (<0.2 μm) increased in the presence of DOM as well. At intermediate Fe/C ratios of 0.02–0.1, a strong correlation between As and Fe concentration occurred in all size fractions ( R 2 = 0.989). At Fe/C ratios <0.02, As was mainly present in the dissolved size fraction. These observations indicate that As mobility increased in the presence of DOM due to (I) competition between As and organic molecules for sorption sites on Fe particles; and (II) due to a higher amount of As bound to more abundant Fe colloids or complexes <0.2 μm in size. The amount of As contained in the colloidal size fractions also depended strongly on the initial size of the humic substance, which was larger for purified humic acids than for natural river or soil porewater samples. Arsenic in the particle size fraction >0.2 μm additionally decreased in the order of pH 4 ≫ 6 > 8. The presence of DOM likely increases the mobility of As in iron rich waters undergoing oxidation, a finding that has to be considered in the investigation of organic-rich terrestrial and aquatic environments.