APPLICATION OF METHODS BASED ON SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FOR SPECIATION OF HEAVY METAL IN SOIL

Abstract

The study is aimed at analyze atomic and electronic structure of Cu (II) and Pb (II) ions in the artificially contaminated soil and its mineral components using X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods based on synchrotron radiation. Soil sampling was taken in the 0-20 cm topsoil of the Haplic Chernozem of the South Russia. In a model experiment the samples taken were artificially contaminated with higher portions (2000 and 10000 mg/kg) of nitrates and oxides of Cu and Pb. The experimental X-ray absorption (XANES and EXAFS) spectra at the K-edge of Cu and LIII-edge of Pb were performed at the Structural Materials Science beamline of the Kurchatov Center for Synchrotron Radiation (Moscow) in the fluorescence regime. The features of XANES spectra indicate different orbital transitions in the electron shells of Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions for monoxide and soluble salt, which affect the ion properties and determine the individual structure of the coordination sphere. Analysis of the EXAFS revealed that Cu (II) ions are incorporated in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites of minerals and bonded with humic materials at the expense of covalent bond and the formation of coordination humate copper complexes. Lead ions in soil are incorporated in the positions of the inner-sphere complex replacing some aluminum ions in the octahedral sites. This results in changes the Pb–O distances in Pb-bearing octahedrons. We may suggest that Pb (II) is also sorbed by dimer (Pb–Pb) silicate and/or aluminum groups.