Predictive model for Pb(II) adsorption on soil minerals (oxides and low-crystalline aluminum silicate) consistent with spectroscopic evidence

Abstract

Mobility of Pb(II) in surface condition is governed by adsorption processes on soil minerals such as iron oxides and low-crystalline aluminum silicates. The adsorption effectiveness and the surface complex structures of Pb(II) vary sensitively with solution conditions such as pH, ionic strength, Pb(II) loading, and electrolyte anion type. This study was undertaken to construct a quantitative model for Pb(II) on soil minerals. It can predict the adsorption effectiveness and surface complex structures under any solution conditions using the extended triple layer model (ETLM).The Pb(II) adsorption data for goethite, hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), quartz, and low-crystalline aluminum silicate (LCAS) were analyzed with ETLM to retrieve the surface complexation reactions and these equilibrium constants. The adsorption data on goethite, HFO and quartz were referred from reports of earlier studies. Those data for LCAS were measured under a wide range of pH, ionic strength and Pb(II) loadings in NaNO3 and NaCl solutions. All adsorption data can be reasonably regressed using ETLM with the assumptions of inner sphere bidentate complexation and inner sphere monodentate ternary complexation with electrolyte anions, which are consistent with previously reported spectroscopic evidence.Predictions of surface speciation under widely various solution conditions using ETLM revealed that the inner sphere bidentate complex is the predominant species at neutral to high pH conditions. The inner sphere monodentate ternary complex becomes important at low pH, high surface Pb(II) coverage, and high electrolyte concentrations, of which the behavior is consistent with the spectroscopic observation.Comparisons of the obtained adsorption constants on goethite, HFO and quartz exhibited good linear relations between the reciprocals of dielectric constants of solids and adsorption constants. Those linear relations support predictions of the adsorption constants of all oxides based on Born solvation theory. The adsorption constants of LCAS are comparable to those of goethite. The predicted adsorption constants of soil minerals suggest that the LCAS is an important sorbent for Pb(II).