Effect of phosphate on sorption of Eu(III) by montmorillonite

Eu(III) sorption by Na-montmorillonite, the principal component of bentonite, has been studied in absence and presence of phosphate under varying experimental conditions of pH, metal ion, phosphate and sorbent concentration. The sorption edge was found to shift to high pH with decreasing sorbent concentration indicating site heterogeneity on the clay. Eu(III) sorption by Na-montmorillonite was found to increase in presence of phosphate at lower sorbent concentration of 0.5 g/L while at higher sorbent loading no effect of phosphate was observed. ATR–FTIR spectroscopy has been used to understand transition from surface complexation to surface precipitation with decreasing sorbent concentration.