The Effect of pH and Biogenic Ligands on the Weathering of Chrysotile Asbestos: The Pivotal Role of Tetrahedral Fe in Dissolution Kinetics and Radical Formation

Chrysotile asbestos is a soil pollutant in many countries. It is a carcinogenic mineral, partly due to its surface chemistry. In chrysotile, Fe(II) and Fe(III) substitute Mg octahedra (Fe[6]), and Fe(III) substitutes Si tetrahedra (Fe[4]). Fe on fiber surfaces can generate hydroxyl radicals (HO(.)) in Fenton reactions, which damage biomolecules. To better understand chrysotile weathering in soils, net Mg and Si dissolution rates over the pH range 3.0–11.5 were determined in the presence and absence of biogenic ligands. Also, HO(.) generation and Fe bulk speciation of pristine and weathered fibers were examined by EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Dissolution rates were increased by ligands and inversely related to pH with complete inhibition at cement pH (11.5). Surface‐exposed Mg layers readily dissolved at low pH, but only after days at neutral pH. On longer timescales, the slow dissolution of Si layers became rate‐determining. In the absence of ligands, Fe[6] precipitated as Fenton‐inactive Fe phases, whereas Fe[4] (7 % of bulk Fe) remained redox‐active throughout two‐week experiments and at pH 7.5 generated 50±10 % of the HO(.) yield of Fe[6] at pristine fiber surfaces. Ligand‐promoted dissolution of Fe[4] (and potentially Al[4]) labilized exposed Si layers. This increased Si and Mg dissolution rates and lowered HO(.) generation to near‐background level. It is concluded that Fe[4] surface species control long‐term HO(.) generation and dissolution rates of chrysotile at natural soil pH.