Although the impacts of foreign species on aqueous transformations and arsenic adsorption by 2-line ferrihydrite (FH2) have been extensively studied, much less is known about the impact of transformation inhibitors on solid-state transformation of FH2 and arsenic adsorption. In this study, the influence of inhibitors (Si(IV), Mg(II), Al(III), Ti(IV), and Ci(citrate)), aging time, and heat treatment on FH2 transformation and arsenic adsorption was investigated. The FH2s were synthesized by mixing Fe(III) salts with an inhibitor at pH 7.5 and air drying for 2 d. With increases in Al/Fe molar ratio, FH2, poorly crystalline Al hydroxide, gibbsite, and bayerite were formed in the FH2-Al series, whereas FH2 was formed in the other FH2s. Heat treatment had a more considerable impact on the transformation, structure, and PZC of FH2 than aging at RT for 235 d. Upon heating the FH2s at 360 oC, most of the amorphous Fe oxide was transformed into hematite, whereas Si and Al had stronger retarding effects on transformation than the other inhibitors. Hematite and FH2 were identified with increases in Si/Fe molar ratio, whereas with increasing Al/Fe molar ratio, FH2 remained, gibbsite and bayerite were decomposed, and boehmite appeared as a trace component. However, the effect of Si was much more pronounced than that of Al in retarding the transformation. The adsorption density for As(III) on the FH2s (at pH 7) decreased in the order: FH2-Mg-2 > FH2 > FH2-Al-1, whereas As(V) followed the order: FH2-Al-1 > FH2-Mg-2 > FH2. Compared to aging at RT for 235 d, heat treatment at 360 oC resulted in significantly reduced arsenic adsorption. The heated FH2 showed a smaller adsorption capacity for arsenic compare to that of the other FH2s. In contrast, the heated FH2-Al and FH2-Si series showed much higher adsorption capacities for As(V) than any other FH2, whereas the heated FH2-Mg series exhibited the largest adsorption capacity of As(III) among the heated FH2s. It is concluded that the use of the FH2-Al, FH2-Mg, or FH2-Si series instead of pure FH2 as filter media in water treatment might achieve more efficient arsenic removal and enhance arsenic retention at waste-disposal sites.

Although the impacts of foreign species on aqueous transformations and arsenic adsorption by 2-line ferrihydrite (FH2) have been extensively studied, much less is known about the impact of transformation inhibitors on solid-state transformation of FH2 and arsenic adsorption. In this study, the influence of inhibitors (Si(IV), Mg(II), Al(III), Ti(IV), and Ci(citrate)), aging time, and heat treatment on FH2 transformation and arsenic adsorption was investigated. The FH2s were synthesized by mixing Fe(III) salts with an inhibitor at pH 7.5 and air drying for 2 d. With increases in Al/Fe molar ratio, FH2, poorly crystalline Al hydroxide, gibbsite, and bayerite were formed in the FH2-Al series, whereas FH2 was formed in the other FH2s. Heat treatment had a more considerable impact on the transformation, structure, and PZC of FH2 than aging at RT for 235 d. Upon heating the FH2s at 360 oC, most of the amorphous Fe oxide was transformed into hematite, whereas Si and Al had stronger retarding effects on transformation than the other inhibitors. Hematite and FH2 were identified with increases in Si/Fe molar ratio, whereas with increasing Al/Fe molar ratio, FH2 remained, gibbsite and bayerite were decomposed, and boehmite appeared as a trace component. However, the effect of Si was much more pronounced than that of Al in retarding the transformation. The adsorption density for As(III) on the FH2s (at pH 7) decreased in the order: FH2-Mg-2 > FH2 > FH2-Al-1, whereas As(V) followed the order: FH2-Al-1 > FH2-Mg-2 > FH2. Compared to aging at RT for 235 d, heat treatment at 360 oC resulted in significantly reduced arsenic adsorption. The heated FH2 showed a smaller adsorption capacity for arsenic compare to that of the other FH2s. In contrast, the heated FH2-Al and FH2-Si series showed much higher adsorption capacities for As(V) than any other FH2, whereas the heated FH2-Mg series exhibited the largest adsorption capacity of As(III) among the heated FH2s. It is concluded that the use of the FH2-Al, FH2-Mg, or FH2-Si series instead of pure FH2 as filter media in water treatment might achieve more efficient arsenic removal and enhance arsenic retention at waste-disposal sites.