Sorption of Selenite and Selenate to Cement Minerals

The sorption of selenite and selenate to ettringite (3CaO x Al2O3 x 3CaSO4 x 32H2O), "monosulfate" (3CaO x Al2O3 x CaSO4 x 12H2O), and calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) was investigated in order to understand Se immobilization by cement in hazardous wastes. Sorption kinetics were fast with equilibrium between the minerals and Se species reached within 1 d. Selenite is suggested to sorb by surface reactions, and for ettringite, a sorption maximum of 0.03 mol kg(-1) was determined. Distribution ratios (Rd) for selenite were 0.18, 0.38, and 0.21 m3 kg(-1) for ettringite, monosulfate, and C-S-H, respectively. At high selenite additions, CaSeO3 was precipitated with a solubility product of Kso = 10(-7.27) (I = 0, 25 degrees C). Selenate sorbed only weakly to ettringite (Rd = 0.03), and no significant sorption to C-S-H was found. In contrast, sorption to monosulfate was strong (Rd = 2.06). With increasing selenate addition, XRD analyses revealed changes in the interlayer distance of monosulfate, in parallel with an increase of the ettringite fraction. Substitution of sulfate is suggested to be the relevant process. This indicates that selenate is sorbed more efficiently by monosulfate-rich cement, while the cement composition is of minor importance for selenite sorption.