  Sorption of As(III) by calcite was investigated as a function of As(III)
concentration, time and pH. The sorption isotherm, i.e. the log As(III) vs. log
[As(OH)3 degrees / Assat] plot is S-shaped and has been modelled on an extended
version of the surface precipitation model. At low concentrations, As(OH)3
degrees is adsorbed by complexation to surface Ca surface sites, as previously
described by the X-ray standing wave technique. The inflexion point of the
isotherm, where As(OH)3 degrees is limited by the amount of surface sites (ST),
yields 6 sites nm-2 in good agreement with crystallographic data. Beyond this
value, the amount of sorbed arsenic increases linearly with solution
concentration, up to the saturation of arsenic with respect to the
precipitation of CaHAsO3(s). The solid solutions formed in this concentration
range were examined by X-ray and neutron diffraction. The doped calcite lattice
parameters increase with arsenic content while c/a ratio remains constant. Our
results made on bulk calcite on the atomic displacement of As atoms along
[0001] direction extend those published by Cheng et al., (1999) on calcite
surface. This study provides a molecular-level explanation for why As(III) is
trapped by calcite in industrial treatments.
