View article

Mekong River Delta sediment bears arsenic that has been released to groundwater under anaerobic conditions over the past several thousand years. The oxidation state, speciation, and distribution of arsenic and the associated iron bearing phases are crucial determinants of As reactivity in sediments. Peat from buried mangrove swamps in particular may be an important host, source, or sink of arsenic in the Mekong Delta. The total concentration, speciation, and reactivity of arsenic and iron were examined in sediments in a Mekong Delta wetland by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and selective chemical extractions. Total solid-phase arsenic concentrations in a peat layer at a depth of 6 m below ground increased 10-fold relative to the overlying sediment. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy revealed that arsenic in the peat was …