Tetracycline-Induced Release and Oxidation of As(III) Coupled with Concomitant Ferrihydrite Transformation

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.