Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2026, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (1): 236-249.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2025.10.13

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Effect of silicon-doped ferrihydrite on the kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by gallic acid and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in groundwater

ZHANG Mengfan(), CAI Xuyi*()   

  1. School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2025-07-20 Revised:2025-09-07 Online:2026-01-25 Published:2025-11-10

Abstract:

Polyphenols and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are commonly used remediation agents for reducing and immobilizing Cr(VI) with minimal risk of secondary pollution. The kinetics of this process are influenced by various environmental factors, yet the impact of these factors on the remediation and transformation of Cr(VI) remains poorly understood. This study focuses on the effect of silicon-doped ferrihydrite particles-ubiquitous in groundwater environments-on the kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by polyphenols and bacteria. Through a series of controlled laboratory batch experiments involving binary, ternary, and quaternary reaction systems, we investigated the influence of the extent of silicon incorporation in ferrihydrite on this process. In ternary systems (comprising silicon-doped ferrihydrite, either polyphenols or bacteria, and Cr(VI)), rapid complexation and reduction of Cr(VI) by polyphenols significantly enhanced the initial removal efficiency (up to 87%), though sustained removal subsequently relied on the adsorption capacity of silicon-doped ferrihydrite. Bacteria facilitated Cr(VI) reduction and stabilization through the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), thereby mitigating the inhibitory effect of silicon doping on Cr(VI) adsorption by ferrihydrite. In the quaternary system (silicon-doped ferrihydrite-polyphenols-bacteria-Cr(VI)), the synergistic interaction between polyphenols and bacteria partially counteracted the suppression caused by silicon doping, maintaining a higher Cr(VI) removal efficiency. Within this system, polyphenols were degraded or oxidized, while silicon-doped ferrihydrite provided a habitat for bacterial colonization.

Key words: silicon-doped ferrihydrite, groundwater remediation, hexavalent chromium, polyphenols and bacteria

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