Iron-Catalyzed Oxidation of Arsenic(III) by Oxygen and by Hydrogen Peroxide:  pH-Dependent Formation of Oxidants in the Fenton Reaction

The oxidation kinetics of As(III) with natural and technical oxidants is still not well understood, despite its importance in understanding the behavior of arsenic in the environment and in arsenic removal procedures. We have studied the oxidation of 6.6 μM As(III) by dissolved oxygen and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Fe(II,III) at pH 3.5−7.5, on a time scale of hours. As(III) was not measurably oxidized by O2, 20−100 μM H2O2, dissolved Fe(III), or iron(III) (hydr)oxides as single oxidants, respectively. In contrast, As(III) was partially or completely oxidized in parallel to the oxidation of 20−90 μM Fe(II) by oxygen and by 20 μM H2O2 in aerated solutions. Addition of 2-propanol as an •OH-radical…