Effect of grain size on the sorption and desorption of SeO4 2− and SeO3 2− in columns of crushed granite and fracture infill from granitic water under dynamic conditions

Abstract

The sorption of 2 × 10−5 mol/dm3 Na2SeO4 and Na2SeO3 dissolved in synthetic granitic water (SGW) were investigated in columns of crushed granite and fracture infill (clay minerals) of various grain sizes. Desorption was studied using pure SGW. The goal of study was the quantification of the effect of grain size on the retardation and distribution coefficients of SeO42− and SeO32−, as well as on the other transport parameters (Peclet number and hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient). A model based on the erfc-function, assuming a non-linear reversible equilibrium sorption/desorption isotherm, was used for evaluation of sorption/desorption and transport parameters. The determination of selenium was performed using an ICP-MS technique. The experimental breakthrough curves were fitted using non-linear regression procedure, in the course of which the parameters mentioned were sought. Summing up, no sorption was recorded in the case of SeO42− under these conditions. The values of retardation coefficients were practically one for all studied grain sizes. On the other hand, significant sorption was found for SeO32−: depending on the grain size, the retardation coefficients varied between 1.6–8.7 in pure granite and 1.8–37.2 in infill materials. These values correspond to distribution coefficients of 0.2–2.5 and 0.2–12.7 cm3/g, respectively. The both parameters have similar values in a case of desorption which reflects the reversible character of sorption process. It was found that retardation and distribution coefficients and sorption capacity for SeO32− also increase with decreasing grain size.