Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Synchrotron X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy for Highly Sensitive Characterization...

Calcium arsenates such as pharmacolite (CaHAsO₄·2H₂O), haidingerite (CaHAsO₄·H₂O), and weilite (CaHAsO₄) are important sinks for arsenic in mine tailings as well as other natural and contaminated sites and are useful for reducing the mobility and bioavailability of this toxic metalloid in the environment. However, calcium arsenates usually occur in trace amounts dominated by other phases, making their detection, identification, and quantification challenging. In this contribution, pharmacolite, haidingerite, and weilite are shown to exhibit subtle but distinct postedge differences in As K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra and feature characteristic [AsO₃]^2-, [AsO₄]^2-, and [AsO₄]^4- radicals, all derived from the diamagnetic [HAsO₄]^2- precursor during γ-ray irradiation, in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. In particular, the ⁷⁵As (nuclear spin I = 3/2 and natural isotope abundance = 100%) hyperfine coupling constants of the [AsO₃]^2- radicals in pharmacolite and haidingerite as well as other minerals (e.g., calcite and gypsum) are clearly distinct, allowing the unambiguous identification of calcium arsenates by the EPR technique readily at ∼0.1 wt %. Similarly, linear combination fittings of As K-edge XANES spectra demonstrate that pharmacolite and haidingerite at ∼0.1 wt % each in gypsum-rich mixtures can be detected and quantified as well. Therefore, a combination of the EPR and XANES techniques is a powerful approach for the highly sensitive characterization of calcium arsenates in the quest for the safe management and remediation of arsenic contamination. This work demonstrates the highly sensitive characterization of calcium arsenates by integrated electron paramagnetic resonance and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy.