Arsenic adsorption onto hematite and goethite

Surface complexation reactions on mineral affect the fate and the transport of arsenic in environmental systems and the global cycle of this element. In this work, the sorption of As(V) on two commercial iron oxides (hematite and goethite) was studied as a function of different physico-chemical parameters such as pH and ionic strength. The main trend observed in the variation of the arsenic sorbed with the pH is a strong retention in acidic pH and the decrease of the sorption on both sorbents at alkaline pH values. The sorption experiments for these iron oxides show that there is no effect of the ionic strength on arsenate adsorption suggesting the formation of an inner sphere surface complex. At pH values corresponding to natural pH water, both hematite and goethite are able to adsorb more than 80% of arsenic, whatever the initial concentration may be. The iron oxides used in this work should be suitable candidates as sorbents for As(V) removal technologies.     

Proton interaction in phosphate adsorption onto goethite

The adsorption of phosphate on goethite is generally modeled by assuming a simple ligand exchange reaction with surface hydroxyl groups. This study investigates the binding forms of phosphate on goethite by evaluating the proton interaction and surface charge change during phosphate adsorption. It is found that OH(-) release stoichiometry increases with phosphate coverage, which suggests that different mechanisms predominate at different phosphate loadings. It demonstrates that surface binding changes from monodentate complexation to bidentate complexation with increasing surface phosphate coverage. The net OH(-) release accompanying this transformation is best interpreted with a 2pK(a) multisite model.     

The influence of temperature on the adsorption of mellitic acid onto goethite

The adsorption of mellitic acid (benzene-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexacarboxylic acid) onto goethite was investigated at five temperatures between 10 and 70 degrees C. Mellitic acid adsorption increased with increasing temperature below pH 7.5, but at higher pH the effect of increasing temperature was to reduce the amount adsorbed. Potentiometric titrations were conducted and adsorption isotherms were measured over the same temperature range, and the data obtained were used in conjunction with adsorption edge data to develop an Extended Constant Capacitance Surface Complexation Model of mellitic acid adsorption. A single set of reactions was used to model the adsorption for the three different experiment types at the five temperatures studied. The adsorption reactions proposed for mellitate ion (L(6-)) adsorption at the goethite surface (SOH) involved the formation of two outer-sphere complexes: SOH + L(6-) + 3H+ <==> [(SOH2)+ (LH2)(4-)]3-, 2SOH + L(6-) + 2H+ <==> [(SOH2)2(2+) (L)(6-)]4-. This mechanism is consistent with recent ATR-FTIR spectroscopic measurements of the mellitate-goethite system. Thermodynamic parameters calculated from the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants for these reactions indicate that the adsorption of mellitic acid onto goethite is accompanied by a large entropy increase.     

Enhanced adsorption of roxarsone onto humic acid modified goethite from aqueous solution

The adsorption of roxarsone (ROX) on the humic acid modified goethite (HA-α-FeOOH) was evaluated for several potential environmental factors. Results showed that 1) ROX had a higher adsorption capacity onto HA-α-FeOOH than unmodified α-FeOOH; 2) the adsorption of ROX increased with a decrease in pH; 3) the high ionic strength significantly inhibited the adsorption capacity of HA-α-FeOOH; and 4) a higher temperature yielded greater adsorption, since the process for ROX to be adsorbed by HA-α-FeOOH was a spontaneous endothermic reaction. The maximum adsorption capacity of ROX was found to be 80.71?mg?·?g^?1, when the temperature was 308?K. Meanwhile, the inhibitory effects of ionic strength and PO₄^3? on the adsorption of ROX onto HA-α-FeOOH were enhanced with an increase in concentration. In addition, the adsorption equilibrium data obeyed Langmuir isotherm model and the kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. From the infrared spectra of HA-α-FeOOH, it could be deduced that the ROX adsorption onto HA-α-FeOOH was achieved via the ion exchange between the arsenic acid and the carboxyl group on adsorbent, as well as the formation of As-O-Fe bond between Fe-O and arsenic acid ions.     

Modeling the adsorption of Cd(II) onto goethite in the presence of citric acid

The adsorption of cadmium onto goethite in the presence of citric acid was measured as a function of pH and cadmium concentration at 25 degrees C. Potentiometric titrations were also performed on the system. Cadmium adsorption onto goethite was enhanced above pH 4 in the presence of 50 microM, 100 microM and 1 mM citric acid. While there was little difference between the enhancements caused by 50 and 100 microM citric acid below pH 6, above pH 6 further enhancement is seen in the presence of 100 microM citric acid. When 1 mM citric acid was present, the enhancement of cadmium adsorption was greater below pH 6, with increased Cd(II) adsorption down to pH 3.5. However, above pH 6, 1 mM of citric acid caused slightly less enhancement than the lower citric acid concentrations. ATR-FTIR spectra of soluble and adsorbed citrate-cadmium species were measured as a function of pH. At pH 4.6 there was very little difference between the ternary Cd(II)-citric acid-goethite spectrum and the binary citric acid-goethite spectrum. However, spectra of the ternary system at pH 7.0 and 8.7 indicated the presence of additional surface species. Further analysis of the spectra suggested that these were metal-ligand outer-sphere complexes. Data from the adsorption experiments and potentiometric titrations of the ternary Cd(II)-citric acid-goethite system were fitted by an extended constant-capacitance surface complexation model. The spectroscopic data were used to inform the choice of surface species. Three reactions in addition to those for the binary Cd(II)-goethite and citric acid-goethite systems were required to describe all of the data. They were [formula in text], [formula in text], and [formula in text]. Neither the spectroscopy nor the modeling suggested the formation of a ternary inner-sphere complex or a surface precipitate under the conditions used in this study.     

Humic acid sorption onto a quartz sand surface: A kinetic study and insight into fractionation

A kinetic study of Aldrich humic acid sorption onto a quartz sand surface has revealed an initial rapid uptake of humic acid molecules followed by a much slower sorption. The humic acid molecular weight and chemical fractionation resulting from adsorption onto the simple quartz sand surface were investigated for the two kinetic steps by coupled asymmetric flow-field flow fractionation-UV/visible absorption spectrophotometry. The molecular weight distribution of residual humic acid in solution after adsorption deviated from the original molecular weight distribution, showing preferential adsorption of certain molecular weight components. This fractionation is different after the two kinetic steps. Humic acid molecules characterised by a molecular weight below 4800 Da and with a weight-average molecular weight (M(w)) of 1450 Da were adsorbed after the fast kinetic step, whereas humic acid molecules in the molecular weight range 1400-9200 Da and of M(w) 3700 Da were adsorbed after the slower uptake. Therefore, the adsorption of low molecular weight humic components takes place initially, and is then followed by the adsorption of higher molecular weight components. Chemical adsorptive fractionation, investigated by studying the 253 nm/203 nm absorbance ratio over time, shows that aromatic components are preferentially adsorbed during the fast kinetic step. The fractionation pattern may be explained by the physicochemical characteristics of the Aldrich humic acid and the underlying sorption processes. The trend for the sorption kinetics of europium onto the quartz sand surface in the presence of humic acid is similar to that of the humic acid itself.     

Molecular weight fractionation of humic substances by adsorption onto minerals

Molecular weight (MW) fractionation of Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA) and purified Aldrich humic acid (PAHA) by adsorption onto kaolinite and hematite was investigated in equilibrium and rate experiments with a size-exclusion chromatography system using ultraviolet (UV) light detection. The extent of adsorptive fractionation based on UV detection was positively correlated with the percent carbon adsorption for both humic substances (HS), although the specific fractionation pattern observed depended on the particular HS and mineral used. Higher MW fractions of SRFA, an aquatic HS, were preferentially adsorbed to both kaolinite and hematite whereas the fractionation trends for PAHA, a terrestrial peat HS, differed for the two minerals. The contrasting fractionation patterns for SRFA versus PAHA can be explained reasonably well by the different structural trends that occur in their respective MW fractions and the underlying adsorption processes. Rate studies of adsorptive fractionation revealed an initial rapid uptake of smaller HS molecules by the mineral surfaces, followed by their replacement at the surface by a much slower uptake of the larger HS molecules present in aqueous solution.     

Humic acid adsorption on fly ash and its derived unburned carbon

Fly ash is solid waste from combustion process, containing oxide minerals and unburned carbon. In this investigation, fly ash has been separated into metal oxide mineral section and unburned carbon. The fly ash with different contents of unburned carbon was employed for humic acid adsorption to investigate the influence of unburned carbon on adsorption. It is found that metal oxides and unburned carbon in fly ash exhibit significant difference in humic acid adsorption. The unburned carbon plays the major role in adsorption. Higher content of unburned carbon in fly ash results in higher surface area and thus higher humic acid adsorption. Fly ash and unburned carbon exhibit adsorption capacity of humic acid of 11 and 72 mg/g, respectively, at 30 degrees C, pH 7. Humic acid adsorption is also affected by ion strength, pH, and temperature. The thermodynamic calculations indicate that the adsorption is endothermic nature with DeltaH(0) and DeltaS(0) as 5.79 kJ/mol and 16.0 J/K mol, respectively.     

Phosphate adsorption on synthetic goethite and akaganeite

Low crystalline iron hydroxides such as goethite (alpha-FeOOH) and akaganeite (beta-FeOOH) were synthesized, and the selective adsorption of phosphate ions from phosphate-enriched seawater was examined. The results of the distribution coefficients (K(d)) of oxoanions in mixed anion solutions at pH 8 follow the selectivity order Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-) < CO3(2-), HPO4(2-) for goethite, and Cl-, CO3(2-) < NO3- < SO4(2) < HPO4(2-) for akaganeite. In seawater, both adsorbents show high selectivity for phosphate ions despite the presence of large amounts of major cations and anions in seawater. The adsorption isotherms fitted better with the Freundlich equation and the maximum uptake of phosphate from phosphate-enriched seawater was 10 mg P/g at an equilibrium phosphate concentration of 0.3 mg P/L on both adsorbents. The phosphate adsorption/desorption cycles show that akaganeite is an excellent adsorbent even after 10 cycles and its chemical stability is good.     

Irreversible adsorption of methyl arsenic, arsenate, and phosphate onto goethite in arsenic and phosphate binary systems

Replacement of one anion from goethite with another provides useful insight into the irreversible adsorption of the first added anion in a binary system. The objective of this study was to investigate the irreversible adsorption of dimethylarsinate (DMA), monomethylarsonate (MMA), arsenate, and phosphate onto goethite at pH 4 in phosphate and arsenic binary systems by adding two anions sequentially. The density of irreplaceable phosphate or arsenic on goethite decreases to a limit with an increase in the initial concentration of the other anion. This limit is the density of MMA, arsenate, and phosphate that irreversibly adsorbs onto goethite, which depends on the adsorption density of these species in the adsorption phase. The highest limit of phosphate that cannot be replaced with DMA, MMA, and arsenate is respectively 1.9, 0.5, 0.8 micromol m(-2). The limit of irreplaceable DMA is zero, and the highest limit of irreplaceable MMA and arsenate is 0.9 and 1.1 micromol m(-2), respectively. The results indicate that the irreversible adsorption of one specific anion in arsenic and phosphate binary systems is affected not only by the adsorption density of this anion before the addition of the other anion but also by the nature of the other.     

Adsorption of nitrogen and water vapour onto goethite surfaces

The interaction of nitrogen and water vapour with surfaces of goethite have been studied using volumetric adsorption technique. BET areas for nitrogen and water are 72 m² g⁻¹ and 45 m² g⁻¹, respectively. Hysteresis behaviour differs markedly. Analysis of the isosteric heat of adsorption shows that nitrogen is physisorbed while water initially reacts with reactive (dehydroxylated) sites.     

Mechanisms and kinetics of humic acid adsorption onto chitosan-coated granules

Chitosan, a naturally abundant biopolymer, has widely been studied for metal adsorption from various aqueous solutions, but the extension of chitosan as an adsorbent to remove humic substances from water has seldom been explored. In this study, chitosan was coated on the surface of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) granules through a dip and phase inversion process and was examined for humic acid removal in a series of batch adsorption experiments. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images showed that the PET granules were uniformly covered with a layer of chitosan and the chitosan layer possessed numerous open pores on the surface. Zeta potential study indicated that the chitosan-coated granules had positive zeta potentials at pH < 6.6 and negative zeta potentials at pH > 6.6. Adsorption of humic acid onto the chitosan-coated granules was found to be strongly pH-dependent. Significant amounts of humic acid were adsorbed under acidic and neutral pH conditions, but the adsorption capacity was reduced remarkably with increasing solution pH values. The adsorption isothermal data under various initial humic acid concentrations (at the same solution pH value) can be adequately modeled by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the amino groups of the chitosan layer were protonated due to humic acid adsorption, suggesting the formation of organic complex between the protonated amino groups and humic acid. Kinetic study indicated that the adsorption process was transport-limited at low solution pH values, but became both transport- and attachment-limited at high solution pH values.     

Carbonate adsorption on goethite in competition with phosphate

Competitive interaction of carbonate and phosphate on goethite has been studied quantitatively. Both anions are omnipresent in soils, sediments, and other natural systems. The PO4-CO3 interaction has been studied in binary goethite systems containing 0-0.5 M (bi)carbonate, showing the change in the phosphate concentration as a function of pH, goethite concentration, and carbonate loading. In addition, single ion systems have been used to study carbonate adsorption as a function of pH and initial (H)CO3 concentration. The experimental data have been described with the charge distribution (CD) model. The charge distributions of the inner-sphere surface complexes of phosphate and carbonate have been calculated separately using the equilibrium geometries of the surface complexes, which have been optimized with molecular orbital calculations applying density functional theory (MO/DFT). In the CD modeling, we rely for phosphate on recent parameters from the literature. For carbonate, the surface speciation and affinity constants have been found by modeling the competitive effect of CO3 on the phosphate concentration in CO3-PO4 systems. The CO3 constants obtained can also predict the carbonate adsorption in the absence of phosphate very well. A combination of inner- and outer-sphere CO3 complexation is found. The carbonate adsorption is dominated by a bidentate inner-sphere complex, (FeO)2CO. This binuclear bidentate complex can be present in two different geometries that may have a different IR behavior. At a high PO(4) and CO3 loading and a high Na+ concentration, the inner-sphere carbonate complex interacts with a Na+ ion, probably in an outer-sphere fashion. The Na+ binding constant obtained is representative of Na-carbonate complexation in solution. Outer-sphere complex formation is found to be unimportant. The binding constant is comparable with the outer-sphere complexation constants of, e.g., SO(2-)4 and SeO(2-)4.     

Influence of temperature on the adsorption of mellitic acid onto kaolinite

The adsorption of mellitic acid (benzene-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexacarboxylic acid) onto kaolinite was investigated at five temperatures between 10 and 70 degrees C. Mellitic acid adsorption increased with increasing temperature at low pH (below pH 5.5), but at higher pH, the effect of increasing temperature was to reduce the amount adsorbed. Potentiometric titrations were conducted, adsorption isotherms were measured over the same temperature range, and the data obtained were used in conjunction with adsorption edge and ATR-FTIR spectroscopic data to develop an extended constant capacitance surface complexation model of mellitic acid adsorption. A single set of reactions was used to model all data at the five temperatures studied. The model indicates that mellitic acid sorbs via outer-sphere complexation to surface hydroxyl (SOH) groups on the kaolinite surface rather than to permanent charge sites. The reactions proposed are SOH + L6- + 2H+ <-->[(SOH2)+(LH)5-]4- and SOH + L(6-) <--> [(SOH)(L)6-]6-. Thermodynamic parameters calculated from the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants for these reactions indicate that the adsorption of mellitic acid onto kaolinite is accompanied by a large entropy increase.     

Kinetics of phosphate adsorption on goethite: comparing batch adsorption and ATR-IR measurements

The adsorption kinetics of phosphate on goethite has been studied by batch adsorption experiments and by in situ ATR-IR spectroscopy at different pH, initial phosphate concentrations and stirring rates. Batch adsorption results are very similar to those reported by several authors, and show a rather fast initial adsorption taking place in a few minutes followed by a slower process taking place in days or weeks. The adsorption kinetics could be also monitored by integrating the phosphate signals obtained in ATR-IR experiments, and a very good agreement between both techniques was found. At pH 4.5 two surface complexes, the bidentate nonprotonated (FeO)(2)PO(2) and the bidentate protonated (FeO)(2)(OH)PO complexes, are formed at the surface. There are small changes in the relative concentrations of these species as the reaction proceeds, and they seem to evolve in time rather independently. At pH 7.5 and 9 the dominating surface species is (FeO)(2)PO(2), which is accompanied by an extra unidentified species at low concentration. They also seem to evolve independently as the reaction proceeds. The results are consistent with a mechanism that involve a fast adsorption followed by a slow diffusion into pores, and are not consistent with surface precipitation of iron phosphate.     

Simultaneous adsorption of copper ions and humic acid onto an activated carbon

In this study, simultaneous adsorption of copper ions and humic acid (HA) from Aldrich onto an activated carbon is investigated. It is found that the HA adsorption in the absence of copper decreases as the pH is increased. It leads to a reduction of 34.7% in the specific surface area of carbon. There exists a critical concentration (CC) of HA for copper adsorption. At HA concentrations < CC, a decrease in copper adsorption is observed; however, the HA improves the adsorption at HA concentrations > CC. An increase in ionic strength can enhance the copper uptake; however, zinc and/or cobalt ions have an insignificant influence on copper adsorption. The adsorption is significantly increased by citric acid, whereas addition of EDTA slightly decreases the uptake. An intraparticle diffusion model is successfully used to describe the copper adsorption kinetics.     

Surfactant adsorption onto cellulose surfaces

The adsorption of the cationic surfactant, hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, C16TAB, onto model cellulose surfaces, prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett deposition as thin films, has been investigated by neutron reflectivity. Comparison between the adsorption of C16TAB onto hydrophilic silica, a hydrophobic cellulose surface, and a regenerated (hydrophilic) cellulose surface is made. Adsorption onto the hydrophilic silica and onto the hydrophilic cellulose surfaces is similar, and is in the form of surface aggregates. In contrast, the adsorption onto the hydrophobic cellulose surface is lower and in the form of a monolayer. The impact of the surfactant adsorption and the in situ surface regeneration on the structure of the cellulose thin films and the nature of solvent penetration into the cellulose films are also investigated. For the hydrophobic cellulose surface, intermixing between the cellulose and surfactant occurs, whereas there is little penetration of surfactant into the hydrophilic cellulose surface. Measurements show that solvent exchange between the partially hydrated cellulose film and the solution is slow on the time scale of the measurements.     

Monolayer adsorption onto triangular lattice

A simple model of monolayer adsorption on homogeneous solid surfaces of triangular symmetry is presented. This model takes into account the effects of three-fold positional degeneracy of adsorption sites and of partial mobility of adsorbed layer. The model predicts phase transitions in adsorbed layers analogous to those found in experimental systems.

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Einschichtadsorption auf triangularem Gitter

Zusammenfassung Es wird ein einfaches Modell für die Adsorption einer Schicht auf einer homogenen festen Oberfläche von triangularer Symmetrie präsentiert. Das Modell berücksichtigt den Effekt der dreifachen Positionsdegenierung von Adsorptionsstellen und auch den Einfluß der partiellen Mobilität der adsorbierten Schicht. Das Modell erlaubt die Voraussage von Phasenübergängen in der adsorbierten Schicht, die in Analogie zu experimentellen Systemen stehen.