Cocontamination with tetracycline
(TC) and arsenic (As) is very
common in paddy fields. However, the process and underlying mechanism
of arsenite (As(III)) transformation on iron mineral surfaces in the
presence of antibiotic contaminants remain unclear. In this study,
the release and oxidation of As(III) on ferrihydrite (Fh) surfaces
and Fh transformation in the presence of TC under both aerobic and
anaerobic conditions were investigated. Our results indicated that
the TC-induced reductive dissolution of Fh (Fe(II) release) and TC
competitive adsorption significantly promote the release of As, especially
under anaerobic conditions. The release of As was increased with increasing
TC concentration, whereas it decreased with increasing pH. Interestingly,
under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, the addition of TC enhanced
the oxidation of As(III) by Fh and induced the partial transformation
of Fh to lepidocrocite. Under aerobic conditions, the adsorbed Fe(II)
activated the production of reactive oxygen species (·OH and 1O2) from dissolved O2, with Fe(IV) being
responsible for As(III) oxidation. Under anaerobic conditions, the
abundant oxygen vacancies of Fh affected the oxidation of As(III)
during Fh recrystallization. Thus, this study provided new insights
into the role of TC on the migration and transformation of As coupled
with Fe in soils.