Adsorption of Suwannee River fulvic acid on aluminum oxyhydroxide surfaces: an in situ ATR-FTIR study

The adsorption of Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA) on boehmite, gamma-AlO(OH), has been examined by both macroscopic adsorption and in situ ATR-FTIR spectroscopic techniques. At a SRFA concentration approaching surface saturation (F = 5.3 micromol m(-2)), adsorption is at a maximum at low pH and decreases as pH is increased. The ATR-FTIR spectral features of adsorbed SRFA are very similar to those measured approximately 1-2 pH units higher in solution, indicating that (i) the SRFA appears to be predominantly adsorbed at the boehmite/water interface in an outer-sphere complexation mode and (ii) the positively charged boehmite/water interface stabilizes SRFA molecules against protonation at low pH.     

Adsorption of organic matter at mineral/water interfaces: 7. ATR-FTIR and quantum chemical study of lactate interactions with hematite nanoparticles

The interaction of the l-lactate ion ( l-CH3CH(OH)COO(-), lact(-1)) with hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (average diameter 11 nm) in the presence of bulk water at pH 5 and 25 degrees C was examined using a combination of (1) macroscopic uptake measurements, (2) in situ attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and (3) density functional theory modeling at the B3LYP/6-31+G* level. Uptake measurements indicate that increasing [ lact(-1)]aq results in an increase in lact(-1) uptake and a concomitant increase in Fe(III) release as a result of the dissolution of the hematite nanoparticles. The ATR-FTIR spectra of aqueous lact(-1) and lact(-1) adsorbed onto hematite nanoparticles at coverages ranging from 0.52 to 5.21 micromol/m2 showed significant differences in peak positions and shapes of carboxyl group stretches. On the basis of Gaussian fits of the spectra, we conclude that lact(-1) is present as both outer-sphere and inner-sphere complexes on the hematite nanoparticles. No significant dependence of the extent of lact(-1) adsorption on background electrolyte concentration was found, suggesting that the dominant adsorption mode for lact(-1) is inner sphere under these conditions. On the basis of quantum chemical modeling, we suggest that inner-sphere complexes of lact(-1) adsorbed on hematite nanoparticles occur dominantly as monodentate, mononuclear complexes with the hydroxyl functional group pointing away from the Fe(III) center.     

Adsorption of organic matter at mineral/water interfaces: 3. Implications of surface dissolution for adsorption of oxalate

The adsorption of oxalate on a model aluminum oxide, corundum (alpha-Al2O3), has been examined over a broad range of oxalate concentrations (0.125-25.0 mM) and pH conditions (2-10). In situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) measurements indicate that at low to intermediate concentrations ([oxalate] < or = 2.50 mM), oxalate adsorbs to corundum predominantly as a bidentate, mononuclear, inner-sphere complex involving both carboxyl groups. Significant contributions from outer-spherically bound oxalate and aqueous Ox(2-) are additionally observed at higher oxalate concentrations. Consistent with the ATR-FTIR findings, macroscopic adsorption data measured for oxalate concentrations of 0.125-2.50 mM can be generally well modeled with a single bidentate, inner-sphere oxalate complex using the charge distribution multisite complexation (CD-MUSIC) model. However, at intermediate oxalate concentrations (0.50 and 1.25 mM) and pH <5, the extent of oxalate adsorption measured experimentally is found to fall significantly below that predicted by CD-MUSIC simulations. The latter finding is interpreted in terms of competition for oxalate from dissolved Al(III), the formation of which is promoted by the dissolution-enhancing properties of the adsorbed oxalate anion. In accordance with this expectation, increasing concentrations of dissolved Al(III) in solution are found to significantly decrease the extent of oxalate adsorption on corundum under acidic pH conditions, presumably through promoting the formation of Al(III)-oxalate complexes with reduced affinities for the corundum surface compared with the uncomplexed oxalate anion.     

Adsorption of organic matter at mineral/water interfaces. 2. Outer-sphere adsorption of maleate and implications for dissolution processes

The effects of the adsorption of a simple dicarboxylate low molecular weight organic anion, maleate, on the dissolution of a model aluminum oxide, corundum (alpha-Al2O3), have been examined over a range of different maleate concentrations (0.125-5.0 mM) and pH conditions (2-10). In situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopic measurements indicate that maleate binds predominantly as an outer-sphere, fully deprotonated complex ([triple bond]AlOH2+ -Mal2-) at the corundum surface over the entire range of maleate concentrations and pH conditions investigated. In accordance with the ATR-FTIR findings, macroscopic adsorption data can be modeled as a function of maleate concentration and pH using an extended constant capacitance approach and a single [triple bond]AlOH2+ -Mal2- species. Outer-sphere adsorption of maleate is found to significantly reduce the protolytic dissolution rate of corundum under acidic conditions (pH < 5). A likely mechanism involves steric protection of dissolution-active surface sites, whereby strong outer-sphere interactions with maleate hinder attack on those surface sites by dissolution-promoting species.     

Adsorption of organic matter at mineral/water interfaces: 5. Effects of adsorbed natural organic matter analogues on mineral dissolution

The effects of the adsorption of pyromellitate, an analogue for natural organic matter, on the dissolution behavior of corundum (alpha-Al2O3) have been examined over a wide range of pyromellitate concentrations (0-2.5 mM) and pH conditions (2-10). The adsorption modes of pyromellitate on corundum have first been examined using in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and are shown to be dominated by a fully deprotonated, outer-sphere pyromellitate species ([triple bond]AlOH2+. . .Pyr4-) at pH >/= 5.0. At lower pH conditions, however, an additional protonated outer-sphere species ([triple bond]AlOH2+. . .H2Pyr2-) and an inner-sphere species are also evident. In accordance with the ATR-FTIR findings, modeling of macroscopic pyromellitate adsorption data using an extended constant capacitance treatment was possible using two outer-sphere ([triple bond]AlOH2+. . .Pyr4- and [triple bond]AlOH2+. . .H2Pyr2-) and one inner-sphere ([triple bond]AlPyr3-) adsorbed pyromellitate species. The presence of adsorbed pyromellitate strongly inhibited the dissolution of corundum under acidic (pH < 5) conditions, consistent with a mechanism previously proposed by Johnson et al. whereby outer-spherically adsorbed Pyr4- species sterically protect dissolution-active surface sites from attack by dissolution-promoting species such as protons. A reduction in the protolytic dissolution rate of corundum results. A reference Suwannee River fulvic acid, which also adsorbs to aluminum (oxyhydr)oxide surfaces in a predominantly outer-sphere manner, was similarly shown to strongly inhibit the dissolution of corundum at pH = 3.     

Adsorption isotherms of associating asphaltenes at oil/water interfaces based on the dependence of interfacial tension on solvent activity

In the Gibbs adsorption equation, the application of solvent activity for the calculation of the surface/interfacial excess is proposed for nonideal or associating or pseudocomponents such as asphaltenes. For the aforementioned systems, only the mass-based phenomenological interfacial excess can be determined based on interfacial tension versus activity data. The use of the mole fraction is compared to the use of the activity when the adsorbed amount of associating asphaltenes is calculated at a water/toluene interface. Langmuir-type isotherms describe the adsorption of asphaltenes at toluene/water interfaces. Asphaltenes were treated to remove the resins and natural surfactants using cyclic precipitation and dissolution of asphaltenes at a fixed aliphatic/aromatic ratio. Different fractions of asphaltenes were obtained by changing the aliphatic/aromatic ratio of the precipitating solvent. The limiting molar masses of asphaltenes measured by vapor pressure osmometry are different for fractions precipitated at different heptane to toluene ratios. The mass-based adsorbed amounts at the water/toluene interface, at a 0.1 asphaltene-to-toluene mass-ratio, varied in the range of 0.8-2.8 mg/m(2), depending on the molar mass of asphaltenes.     

Adsorption of hydrophobically modified starch at oil/water interfaces during emulsification

The adsorption of starch that had been hydrophobically modified with octenyl succinate anhydride (OSA) at the oil/water interface during emulsification was studied. The starch samples were of waxy barley origin and were varied in molar mass and degree of substitution (DS). The particle size of the emulsions was measured and the adsorbed amount of starch was determined through serum depletion. The results show that adsorption is governed by the relationship between interfacial area and OSA-starch concentration. The surface load of OSA-starch can in some cases become very high, reaching 16 mg/m(2). The emulsification occurs under nonequilibrium and turbulent flow conditions. Under these conditions kinetic factors are likely to play an important role in the adsorption process. Turbulent flow favors transport to the interface of larger molecules over small ones, which could lead to higher surface loads by causing jamming at the interface. A model that treats the adsorption as a collision between particles in turbulent flow has been used, and it shows that the adsorption time of a polymer decreases with increasing polymer radius. It also shows that the time scale of adsorption is shorter than the time scales for configurational changes of macromolecules at interfaces and that emulsion droplet-droplet collisions are of similar time scales as adsorption, which gives further indications that kinetic factors are important during adsorption. The simulation results give a reasonable explanation to why large molecules such as OSA-starch can be efficient as emulsifiers.     

An ATR-FTIR study of different phosphonic acids adsorbed onto boehmite

An ATR-FTIR study of the vibrational spectra of N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) aminomethylphosphonic acid (BHAMP), 1-hydroxyethane-1,1′-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) and nitrilotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (NTMP) adsorbed onto boehmite is presented. The study was performed in the pH range from 5 to 9, and bands assignments are given in the 1200–900 cm^?1 wavenumber range, where the bands associated with various P–O(H) vibrations can be found. The three phosphonic acids adsorb onto boehmite by forming inner-sphere surface complexes. ATR-FTIR data indicates the presence of both protonated and deprotonated mononuclear surface species. In all cases, the surface-bound ions undergo protonation reactions as pH is decreased. The results are in good agreement with previously proposed surface complexation models.     

Investigations of polyelectrolyte adsorption at the solid/liquid interface by sum frequency spectroscopy: evidence for long-range macromolecular alignment at highly charged quartz/water interfaces

IR-visible sum frequency spectroscopy (SFS) was employed to investigate the molecular level details of the adsorption of the positively charged polyelectrolyte, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA), at the quartz/water interface. Below pH 9.0, signal from the interfacial water structure was visible, but none from the adsorbed polymer could be detected. This indicated that the PDDA was not well enough aligned at the interface under these conditions to elicit a sum frequency response. At more basic pH values (>or=9.6), however, adsorbed PDDA molecules became well-ordered as indicated by the presence of CH stretch peaks from methylene and methyl groups. The intensities of the CH stretch modes were independent of the adsorbed amount of PDDA at pH 12.3 but decreased as the pH of the bulk solution was lowered. The conditions for polymer alignment fell outside the parameters where layer-by-layer growth of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes was possible because the net charge on the surface under high pH conditions remained negative.     

Adsorption of oleic acid at sillimanite/water interface

The interaction of oleic acid at sillimanite-water interface was studied by adsorption, FT-IR, and zeta potential measurements. The isoelectric point (IEP) of sillimanite obtained at pH 8.0 was found to shift in the presence of oleic acid. This shift in IEP was attributed to chemisorption of oleic acid on sillimanite. Adsorption experiments were conducted at pH 8.0, where the sillimanite surface is neutral. The adsorption isotherm exhibited a plateau around 5 micromol/m2 that correspond to a monolayer formation. Adsorption of oleic acid on sillimanite, alumina, and aluminum hydroxide was studied by FT-IR. Chemisorption of oleic acid on the above substrates was confirmed by FT-IR studies. Hydroxylation of mineral surface was found to be essential for the adsorption of oleic acid molecules. These surface hydroxyl sites were observed to facilitate deprotonation of oleic acid and its subsequent adsorption. Thus protons from oleic acid react with surface hydroxyl groups and form water molecules. Based on the experimental results, the mechanism of oleic acid adsorption on mineral substrate was proposed. Free energy of adsorption was estimated using the Stern-Graham equation for a sillimanite-oleate system.     

Surface complexes of phthalic acid at the hematite/water interface

The adsorption of o-phthalic acid at the hematite/water interface was investigated experimentally using batch adsorption experiments and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy over a wide range of solution pH, surface loading, and ionic strength conditions. Molecular orbital calculations for several possible surface complexes were also performed to assign atomistic structures to the features observed in the ATR-FTIR spectra. The results of the batch adsorption experiments exhibit typical anionic characteristics with high adsorption at low pH and low adsorption at high pH. The adsorption of phthalic acid also exhibits a strong dependence on ionic strength, which suggests the presence of outer-sphere complexes. ATR-FTIR spectra provide evidence of three fully deprotonated phthalate surface complexes (an outer-sphere complex and two inner-sphere complexes) under variable chemical conditions. A fully deprotonated outer-sphere complex appears to dominate adsorption in the circumneutral pH region, while two fully deprotonated inner-sphere complexes that shift in relative importance with surface coverage increase in importance at low pH. Comparison of experimental and theoretical calculations suggests the two inner-sphere complexes are best described as a mononuclear bidentate (chelating) complex and a binuclear bidentate (bridging) complex. The mononuclear bidentate inner-sphere complex was favored at relatively low surface coverage. With increasing surface coverage, the relative contribution of the binuclear bidentate inner-sphere complex increased in importance.     

Adsorption behavior of surface chemically pure N-cycloalkylaldonamides at the air/water interface

Equilibrium surface tension (sigma(e)) and electric surface potential (DeltaV(e)) versus concentration isotherms of the homologous series of N-cycloalkylaldonamides synthesized from cycloalkylamines (from cyclopentyl- to cyclododecylamine) and D-glucono-1,5-lactone (c-C(n)GA) or D-glucoheptono-1,4-lactone (c-C(n)GHA) (c-n(C) = 5-12) were investigated at the air/water interface. The measurements were performed with aqueous, surface chemically pure surfactant solutions. Equilibrium surface tension vs concentration isotherms were evaluated to get the adsorption parameters, i.e., standard free energy of adsorption, DeltaG degrees (ads), saturation surface concentration, Gamma(infinity), minimum surface area demand per molecule adsorbed, A(min), and interaction parameter, H(s). Increasing the size of the cycloalkyl moiety leads to a significant increase of the minimum surface area demand per molecule adsorbed. This fact, together with a decrease of the intermolecular interaction parameter suggests that the introduction of a more bulky cycloalkyl ring (c-n(C) = 7 and 8) causes an attenuation of the hydrogen-bond network. This goes in line with the exceptional finding that the higher homologues revealed improved solubility in water. In addition, surface tension investigations suggest occurrence of a phase transition for the N-cyclooctylaldonamides at relatively small surface coverage. This observation is well supported by the surface potential measurements, for which the effect of possible changes in the molecules' surface orientation is even more pronounced. Moreover, the concentration intervals of N-cyclooctylaldonamide in which the change in orientation is observed for either the surface tension or the surface potential isotherms are in very good agreement.     

Adsorption of organic matter at mineral/water interfaces. 6. Effect of inner-sphere versus outer-sphere adsorption on colloidal stability

The effects of the adsorption modes of several low molecular weight (LMW) organic anions (maleate, oxalate, and citrate) on the colloidal stability of corundum-water suspensions have been examined using electrokinetic and shear yield stress (tau(y)) measurements over a broad range of pH conditions and LMW organic anion concentrations. Consistent with previous studies, increasing concentrations of maleate, oxalate, and citrate progressively shift the electrokinetic isoelectric point and pH of the maximum shear yield stress (tau(y,max)) to more acidic conditions. Due to its predominant electrostatic driving force for adsorption, outer-spherically adsorbed maleate possesses a very limited ability to charge reverse the corundum-water interface or bind to the negatively charged corundum surface. By contrast, inner-spherically adsorbed oxalate and citrate can significantly charge reverse the corundum-water interface, with the extent of charge reversal being related to the relative binding strengths of the oxalate and citrate anions. Adsorbed maleate, oxalate, and citrate generate steric barriers to interparticle approach, leading to substantial reductions in the magnitude of tau(y,max) at low to intermediate concentrations of those LMW anions. At the highest anion concentrations investigated, however, increases in tau(y,max) are observed, and can be attributed to the formation of bridging Al(III)-organic surface precipitates, as suggested by in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements of corundum-oxalate suspensions at high oxalate concentrations. The extent of precipitate formation is greatest for the corundum-oxalate system due to the strong dissolution-enhancing properties of the inner-spherically adsorbed oxalate anion (i.e., its ability to generate enhanced concentrations of dissolved Al(III) which can then participate in precipitate formation). The effects of the LMW organic anion adsorption modes on both the forms of the measured tau(y) versus pH data, and the ability to quantitatively compare tau(y) and zeta potential data measured at different corundum concentrations, are also discussed.     

Water-vapor adsorption and surface area measurement of poorly crystalline boehmite

Water-vapor adsorption on poorly crystalline boehmite (PCB) was studied using a gravimetric FTIR apparatus that measured FTIR spectra and water adsorption isotherms simultaneously. The intensity of the delta(HOH) band of adsorbed water changed linearly with water content and this linear relationship was used to determine the dry mass of the sample. Adsorption and desorption isotherms of PCB showed a Type IV isotherm. The BET(H2O) surface area of PCB was 514+/-36 m2/g. The mean crystallite dimensions of PCB were estimated to be 4.5 x 2.2 x 10.0 nm (dimensions along the a, b, and c axes, respectively) based on application of the Scherrer equation to powder diffraction data of PCB. A surface area value of 504+/-45 m2/g calculated using the mean crystallite dimensions was in good agreement with the BET(H2O) surface area. This work also demonstrated a method to determine surface areas for materials with minimal perturbation of their surface structure. In addition, the FTIR spectra of PCB were influenced by changes in water content. The delta(AlOH) band at 835 cm(-1) observed under dry conditions was assigned to the non-H-bonded surface OH groups. As the amount of adsorbed water increased, the intensity at 835 cm(-1) decreased and that at 890 and 965 cm(-1) increased. The 890- and 965-cm(-1) bands are assigned to surface OH groups H-bonded with adsorbed water.     

Adsorption of hydrophobically modified anionic starch at oppositely charged oil/water interfaces

In this paper we study the adsorption at cationic emulsion droplets of starch which had been hydrophobically modified with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA), a modification which also renders the starch anionic. Emulsions were formed with didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) after which the OSA-starch was added. The emulsions were separated by centrifugation and the surface load of OSA-starch was determined through serum depletion. The results show the adsorbed amounts can become very high, in some cases reaching approximately 40 mg/m2. The surface load correlates positively with the surface charge density of the starch which depends on the degree of substitution, rms radius and molar mass. Furthermore, the surface load obtained depends on the ratio between polymer surface charge density and the interface charge density which could be varied experimentally by combining various amounts of DDAB and dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) in the formation of the emulsion. The very high surface loads should correspond to very thick adsorbed layers. Thus, OSA-starch should be appropriate for encapsulation applications provided a suitable adhesion substance is employed.     

Structure of mixed beta-lactoglobulin/pectin adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces; a spectroscopy study

Based on earlier reported surface rheological behaviour two factors appeared to be important for the functional behaviour of mixed protein/polysaccharide adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces: (1) protein/polysaccharide mixing ratio and (2) formation history of the layers. In this study complexes of beta-lactoglobulin (positively charged at pH 4.5) and low methoxyl pectin (negatively charged) were formed at two mixing ratios, resulting in negatively charged and nearly neutral complexes. Neutron reflection showed that adsorption of negative complexes leads to more diffuse layers at the air/water interface than adsorption of neutral complexes. Besides (simultaneous) adsorption of protein/polysaccharide complexes, a mixed layer can also be formed by adsorption of (protein/)polysaccharide (complexes) to a pre-formed protein layer (sequential adsorption). Despite similar bulk concentrations, adsorbed layer density profiles of simultaneously and sequentially formed layers were persistently different, as illustrated by neutron reflection analysis. Time resolved fluorescence anisotropy showed that the mobility of protein molecules at an air/water interface is hampered by the presence of pectin. This hampered mobility of protein through a complex layer could account for differences observed in density profiles of simultaneously and sequentially formed layers. These insights substantiated the previously proposed organisations of the different adsorbed layers based on surface rheological data.     

Characteristics of granular boehmite and its ability to adsorb phosphate from aqueous solution

In this study, we investigated the surface properties of granulated boehmite with vinyl acetate (G-BE20) and measured the amount of phosphate it adsorbed and the effect of contact time and solution pH on the adsorption process. The specific surface area (144.9?m²/g) and the number of surface hydroxyl groups (0.88?mmol/g) of G-BE20 were smaller than those of virgin boehmite (BE), which gave a specific surface area and number of surface hydroxyl groups of 297.0?m²/g and 1.08?mmol/g, respectively. The amount of phosphate adsorbed increased with the temperature. The isotherm model of Langmuir was used to fit experimental adsorption equilibrium data for phosphate adsorption onto G-BE20. The calculated thermodynamic parameters show the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the adsorption process. The equilibrium adsorption onto G-BE20 was reached within 16?h and the amount of phosphate adsorbed was 8.4?mg/g. The kinetic mechanism of phosphate uptake was evaluated with two different models: the Largergren pseudo first- and pseudo second-order models. The data obtained showed a better fit to the pseudo second-order model (0.991) than to the pseudo first-order model (0.967), as indicated by the r values. The rate constants for the adsorption of phosphate onto G-BE20 were calculated as 0.481?1/h and 0.029?g/mg?h. The adsorption of phosphate onto G-BE20 was the maximum in the pH range 3.0-4.0.     

Hydrothermal preparation of boehmite nanorods by selective adsorption of sulfate

A facile hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize boehmite nanorods with a length of 50-2000 nm, a diameter of 6-20 nm, and a preferential growth along [100] by treating the Al(OH)(3) gel in acidified sulfate solutions at 240 degrees C. Studies on the hydrothermal treatment of Al(OH)(3) gel in sulfate solutions showed that the morphology and the composition of the hydrothermal products were connected with the sulfate concentration and the pH of the hydrothermal solution. The aspect ratio of the boehmite nanorods increased to 300 as the initial H(2)SO(4) concentration increased to 0.043 mol x L(-1), whereas boehmite nanorods and (H(3)O)Al(3)(SO(4))(2)(OH)(6) cubic particles coexisted in the case of the initial H(2)SO(4) concentration > or = 0.054 mol x L (-1). Sole boehmite nanoflakes with a diameter of about 50 nm were formed under alkaline conditions (pH 10.5) despite the existence of the sulfate. The chemical and Raman analyses indicated that SO(4)(2-) in acidified solutions adsorbed on the boehmite surface via H-bonds. On the basis of the above results, the growth of boehmite along the [100] direction was attributed to the selective adsorption of SO(4) (2-) on the (010) and (001) planes of boehmite.     

Adsorption at liquid interfaces: The generalized Frumkin isotherm and interfacial structure

The thermodynamics of adsorption of amphiphilic surface-active compounds at the interface between two immiscible liquids is considered. At the interface, these molecules are supposed to replace a few of the adsorbed molecules of both solvents. Classical isotherms of adsorption (Frumkin, Frumkin-Damaskin, Langmuir, Henry) were based on the model of non-penetrable interface, where an adsorbate can substitute only molecules of one solvent. At the interface between two immiscible electrolytes, nonpolar oil/water interfaces, and liquid membranes amphiphilic molecules can substitute molecules of both solvent and classic isotherms cannot be used. The generalization of Frumkin isotherm for permeable and non-permeable interfaces, known as the Markin-Volkov isotherm, gives the possibility to analyze adsorption in a general case. The adsorption isotherms of pentafluorobenzoic acid at the octane/water interface at different pHs were measured by the drop-weight method. The thermodynamic parameters of pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA) adsorption at octane/water interface were determined. From the measurements of PFBA adsorption, the structure of the octane/water interface was determined. Substitution of one adsorbed octane molecule requires approximately three adsorbed PFBA molecules. This result shows that the orientation of solvent molecules at the interface is different from the bulk. Adsorbed octane molecules have a lateral orientation with respect to the interface. Gibbs free energy of adsorption equilibrium and thermodynamic parameters of PFBA adsorption show that the adsorption of PFBA at the octane/water interface is accompanied by a reduction in the attraction between adsorbed PFBA molecules as the pH decreases to the acidic region. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 1194–1200. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Mucin at solution/air and solid/solution interfaces

In this paper the surface activity of protein mucin at solution/air interface has been studied. The experiments of the adsorbed protein at solution/air interface have been carried out with a range of protein concentrations at a defined pH. The adsorption of the protein to solid surfaces and the degree of hydrophobicity at solid/solution interface of mucin have been evaluated at different pH and in the presence of Hofmeister electrolyte. The results from these studies have been further substantiated by surface potential measurements of mucin covered surface on stainless steel. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) has been used to follow the protein adsorption kinetics from solution to solid surface. The results from these measurements show that the adsorption behavior has a remarkable dependence on the degree of maximum coverage and is almost independent of the ionic strength. Other characteristic features such as maximum adsorption values at the protein isoelectric point (IEP4.7) and low-affinity isotherms that showed surface saturation even under unfavorable electrostatic conditions have been observed. The amount of mucin adsorbed in the presence of electrolytes has been estimated using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The study clearly shows that there exists an inverse relationship between the hydrophobicity and surface tension of the protein and also on the hydrated radius of Hofmeister electrolyte used.