In oxidizing environment, green rust generally turns into  oxyhydroxides, namely α- (goethite) and γ- (lepidocrocite).
Oxidation of the carbonate variety can be retarded by wetting the material with hydroxyl-containing compounds such as glycerol or glucose, even though they do not penetrate the structure.   Some variety of green rust is stabilized also by an atmosphere with high  partial pressure.
Sulfate green rust has been shown to reduce nitrate  and nitrite  in solution to ammonium , with concurrent oxidation of  to .  Depending on the cations in the solution, the nitrate anions replaced the sulfate in the intercalation layer, before the reduction.   It was conjectured that green rust may be formed in the reducing alkaline conditions below the surface of marine sediments and may be connected to the disappearance of oxidized species like nitrate in that environment.
Suspensions of carbonate green rust and orange γ- in water will react over a few days produce a black precipitate of magnetite .