Adsorption of Small Weak Organic Acids on Goethite: Modeling of Mechanisms

Abstract

The adsorption of lactate, oxalate, malonate, phthalate, and citrate has been determined experimentally as a function of concentration, pH, and ionic strength. The data have been described with the CD-MUSIC model of Hiemstra and Van Riemsdijk [J. Colloid Interface Sci.179,488–508 (1996)] which allows a distribution of charge of the organic molecule over the surface and the Stern layer. Simultaneously, the concentration, pH, and salt dependency as well as the basic charging behavior of goethite could be described well. On the basis of model calculations, a distinction is made between inner and outer sphere complexation of weak organic acids by goethite. The results indicate that the affinity of the organic acids is dominated by the electrostatic attraction. The intrinsic affinity constants for the exchange reaction of surface water groups and organic acids, expressed per bond, increases with increasing number of reactive groups on the organic molecule. Ion pair formation between noncoordinated carboxylic groups of adsorbed organic acids and cations of the background electrolyte proved to be important for the salt dependency. The knowledge obtained may contribute to the interpretation of the binding of larger organic acids like fulvic and humic acids.