Kumar Rohit, Jing Chuanyong, Yan Li
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
J Environ Sci (China). 2025 Jul;153:56-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2024.01.016. Epub 2024 Feb 1.
Arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb), with analogy structure, belong to VA group in the periodic table and pose a great public concern due to their potential carcinogenicity. The speciation distribution, migration and transformation, enrichment and retention, as well as bioavailability and toxicity of As and Sb are influenced by several environmental processes on mineral surfaces, including adsorption/desorption, coordination/precipitation, and oxidation/reduction. These interfacial reactions are influenced by the crystal facet of minerals with different atomic and electronic structures. This review starts with facets and examines As and Sb adsorption and transformation on mineral facets such hematite, titanium dioxide, and manganese dioxide. The main focus lies on three pressing issues that limit the understanding of the environmental fate of As and Sb: the facet-dependent intricacies of adsorption and transformation, the mechanisms underlying facet-dependent phenomena, and the impact of co-existing chemicals. We first discussed As and Sb adsorption behaviors, structures, and bonding chemistry on diverse mineral facets. Subsequently, the reactivity of various mineral facets was examined, with particular emphasis placed on their significance in the context of environmental catalysis for the oxidation of As(III) and Sb(III). Finally, the impact of co-existing cation, anion, or organic substances on the processes of adsorption and transport of As and Sb was reviewed. This comprehensive review enhances our understanding of the facet-dependent phenomena governing adsorption, transformation, and fate of contaminants. It underscores the critical role of mineral facets in dictating environmental reactions and paves the way for future research in this intriguing field.
