Immobilization of arsenate in kaolinite by the addition of magnesium oxide: An experimental and modeling investigation.

MgO was chosen as an As(V) immobilization agent and a series of immobilization experiments was performed to obtain insights into the behavior of As(V) and MgO during leaching tests. Our experimental and modeling results demonstrated that As(V) immobilization by MgO consists of the following steps: (i) an increase in sample pH, (ii) desorption of As(V) from the samples, and (iii) the re-immobilization of As(V) by MgO/Mg(OH)2 particles. Regarding the behavior of MgO, the modeling results showed that when the MgO dosage was 25 mgMgO/4 g-drysample or less, the majority of MgO was used to increase pH, and less than 1% of MgO was used to sorb As(V), which was consistent with the result of leaching tests showing that a high level of As(V) was leached at the MgO dosages.