Aqueous
Fe(II) can induce recrystallization of ferrihydrite and
goethite [α-FeOOH] to their more crystalline or molecularly
homogeneous counterparts. Despite common association with these and
other Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides, relationships between Fe(II)-induced
transformation and Mo mobility remain poorly constrained. We conducted
laboratory column experiments to examine repartitioning of sorbed
Mo during Fe(II)-induced transformation of ferrihydrite and goethite
under advective flow conditions. We first pumped (∼0.25 L d–1) artificial groundwater containing 0.1 mM MoO4
2– and buffered to pH 6.5 through columns
packed with ferrihydrite- and goethite-coated sand until >90% Mo
breakthrough
was observed. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy
shows that initial Mo attenuation resulted from inner sphere complexation
of MoO4 tetrahedra at ferrihydrite and goethite surfaces.
We then pumped Mo-free anoxic artificial groundwater containing 0.2
mM or 2.0 mM Fe(II) through the columns until effluent Mo concentrations
remained <0.005 mM. Raman spectroscopy shows that Fe(II) introduction
induced transformation of both ferrihydrite and goethite to lepidocrocite.
Additionally, Fe(II) introduction mobilized 4–34% of sorbed
Mo and total mass release was greater for (i) ferrihydrite compared
to goethite columns and (ii) low Fe(II) compared to high Fe(II) influent.
Effluent pH decreased to ∼5.8 for columns receiving the high
Fe(II) influent and returned to pH 6.5 after 5–10 pore volumes.
EXAFS spectroscopy indicates that structural incorporation of MoO6 octahedra into neoformed phases contributes to Mo retention
during Fe(II)-induced transformation. Our results offer new insight
into Mo repartitioning during Fe(II)-induced transformation of Fe(III)
(oxyhydr)oxides and, more generally, controls on Mo mobility in geohydrologic
systems.