The incorporation of sulfate (SO42−⁠) into the scorodite (FeAsO4·2H2O) lattice is an important mechanism during arsenic (As) fixation in natural and engineered settings. However, spectroscopic evidence of SO42− speciation and local structure in scorodite lattice is still lacking. In this study, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopic analyses in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to determine the local coordination environment of SO42− in the naturally and hydrothermally synthesized scorodite. The SO42− retention in natural scorodite and the effect of pH value and initial Na+ concentration on the incorporation of SO42− in synthetic scorodite were investigated. The results showed that trace amounts of SO42− were incorporated in natural scorodite samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that SO42− was homogeneously distributed inside the natural and synthetic scorodite particles, and its content in the synthetic scorodite increased slightly with the initial Na+ concentration at pH of 1.2 and 1.8. The FTIR features and XANES results indicated that the coordination number (CN) of FeO6 octahedra around SO42− in scorodite lattice is four. The DFT calculation optimized interatomic distances of S-O were 1.45, 1.46, 1.48, and 1.48 Å with an average of ~1.47 Å, and the interatomic distances of S-Fe were 3.29, 3.29, 3.33, and 3.41 Å with an average of ~3.33 Å. EXAFS analysis gave an average S-O bond length of 1.47(1) and S-Fe bond length of 3.33(1) Å with a CNS-Fe = 4 for SO42− in the scorodite structure, in good agreement with the DFT optimized structure. The results conclusively showed that SO42− in the scorodite lattice may be in the form of a Fe2(SO4)3-like local structure. The present study is significant for understanding the formation mechanism of scorodite in natural environments and hydrometallurgical unit operations for waste sulfuric acid treatment.

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