Structure and stability of the Fe(II)–Fe(III) green rust “fougerite” mineral and its potential for reducing pollutants in soil solutions

Fe(II)–Fe(III) layered double hydroxysalt green rusts, GRs, are very reactive compounds with the general formula, [FeII(1−x) FeIIIx (OH)2]x+·[(x/n) An−·(m/n) H2O]x−, where x is the ratio FeIII/Fetot, and reflects the structure in which brucite-like layers alternate with interlayers of anions An− and water molecules. Two types of crystal structure for GRs, GR1 and GR2, represented by the hydroxychloride GR1(Cl−) and the hydroxysulphate GR2(SO42−) are distinguished by X-ray diffraction due to different stacking. By analogy with GR1(Cl−) the structure of the fougerite GR mineral, [FeII(1−x) FeIIIx (OH)2]x+·[x OH−·(1−x) H2O]x- 6-point triple bond; length half of m-dash Fe(OH)(2+x)·(1−x) H2O, is proposed displaying interlayers made of OH− ions and water molecules (in situ deprotonation of water molecules is necessary for explaining the flexibility of its composition). The space group of mineral GR1(OH−) would be R3̄m, with lattice parameters acongruent with0.32 and ccongruent with2.25 nm. Stability conditions and the Eh-pH diagram of Fe(OH)(2+x) (the water molecules are omitted) are determined from hydromorphic soil solution equilibria with GR mineral in Brittany (France). Computed Gibbs free energies of formation from soil solution/mineral equilibrium fit well with a regular solid solution model: μ°[Fe(OH)(2+x)]=(1−x) μ°[Fe(OH)2]+x μ°[Fe(OH)3]+RT [(1−x) ln (1−x)+x ln x]+A0 x (1−x), where μ°[Fe(OH)2]=−492.5 kJ mol−1, μ°[Fe(OH)3]=−641 kJ mol−1 and A0=−243.9 kJ mol−1 at the average temperature of 9±1°C. The upper limit of occurrence of GR mineral at x=2/3, i.e. Fe3(OH)8, is explained by its unstability vs. α-FeOOH and/or magnetite; Fe(OH)3 is thus a hypothetical compound with a GR structure which cannot be observed. These thermodynamic data and Eh-pH diagrams of Fe(OH)(2+x) can be used most importantly to predict the possibility that GR minerals reduce some anions in contaminated soils. The cases of NO3−, Se(VI) or Cr(VI) are fully illustrated.