Characterisation of Schwertmannite - Geochemical Interactions with Arsenate and Chromate and Significance in Sediments of Lignite Opencast Lakes
type: CreativeWork
description: Fe(III) oxyhydroxysulfate schwertmannite [idealised formula: Fe8O8(OH)6SO4], frequently precipitates as a product of sulphide weathering in acidic, sulfate-rich waters. In order to investigate the environmental importance of schwertmannite, geochemical and mineralogical methods were applied in field- and laboratory-experiments. Thereby this thesis focussed on two consequential questions: The first (1) was if schwertmannite could enrich toxic compounds and therefore act as a sink in natural systems. By means of the anions arsenate and chromate, the uptake capacity by adsorption or substitution and consequential changes in crystal structure were characterised. Additionally, a possible re-mobilisation of these compounds was investigated because the metastable schwertmannite easily dissolves or transforms into other minerals. Predominantly, experiments with synthetically produced schwertmannite took place. The other main focus (2) comprised examinations of schwertmannite formation in the chemical environment of acidic lignite mining opencast lakes. Thereby its importance as pH-buffer, its formation probability and its variation by ageing were to be characterised. (1) Schwertmannite, as contained in precipitates of former ore mines, featured high amounts of As (up to 6700 ppm) and Cr (up to 800 ppm). Since there was hardly any detection of these elements in the corresponding drainage waters, the hypothesis arose that schwertmannite acts as a scavenger for these compounds. Assuming that in the redox environment of schwertmannite formation, As and Cr are mostly present in their highest oxidation-level (as arsenate and chromate) these anions were used for coprecipitation, adsorption- and stability-investigations with schwertmannite, to characterise its geochemical interactions. Synthesis (coprecipitation) experiments proved that schwertmannite, normally containing 12 to 14 wt.-% sulfate (both, structurally and adsorptively bound), incorporates up to 10.4 wt.- % arsenate and…
abstract: Fe(III) oxyhydroxysulfate schwertmannite [idealised formula: Fe8O8(OH)6SO4], frequently precipitates as a product of sulphide weathering in acidic, sulfate-rich waters. In order to investigate the environmental importance of schwertmannite, geochemical and mineralogical methods were applied in field- and laboratory-experiments. Thereby this thesis focussed on two consequential questions: The first (1) was if schwertmannite could enrich toxic compounds and therefore act as a sink in natural systems. By means of the anions arsenate and chromate, the uptake capacity by adsorption or substitution and consequential changes in crystal structure were characterised. Additionally, a possible re-mobilisation of these compounds was investigated because the metastable schwertmannite easily dissolves or transforms into other minerals. Predominantly, experiments with synthetically produced schwertmannite took place. The other main focus (2) comprised examinations of schwertmannite formation in the chemical environment of acidic lignite mining opencast lakes. Thereby its importance as pH-buffer, its formation probability and its variation by ageing were to be characterised. (1) Schwertmannite, as contained in precipitates of former ore mines, featured high amounts of As (up to 6700 ppm) and Cr (up to 800 ppm). Since there was hardly any detection of these elements in the corresponding drainage waters, the hypothesis arose that schwertmannite acts as a scavenger for these compounds. Assuming that in the redox environment of schwertmannite formation, As and Cr are mostly present in their highest oxidation-level (as arsenate and chromate) these anions were used for coprecipitation, adsorption- and stability-investigations with schwertmannite, to characterise its geochemical interactions. Synthesis (coprecipitation) experiments proved that schwertmannite, normally containing 12 to 14 wt.-% sulfate (both, structurally and adsorptively bound), incorporates up to 10.4 wt.- % arsenate and…
author: Regenspurg, Simona
date published: 2002-10-31
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:49:33Z
provider: Universität Bayreuth
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Universität Bayreuth