Sorption behavior of nine chromium (III) organic complexes in soil

Abstract

Sorption data were obtained with a Matawan soil and the following chromium (III) organic complexes: chromium (III) ascorbate, chromium (III) glutamate, chromium (III) histidine, chromium (III) mandelate, chromium (III) citrate, chromium (III) cysteine, chromium (III) serine, chromium (III) pyruvate and chromium (III) oxalate. The influence of pH (2–12), ionic strength (0.005–1 M) and concentration of sorbate (1–10 mg/L) on the extent of sorption was evaluated. The pH value did not influence the percent sorption at environmentally relevant pH 7. Ionic strength between 0.005 and 0.01 M KNO3 did not influence the sorption. Sorption and desorption data obtained at pH 7, 0.01 M KNO3 and 1–10 mg/L for each chromium (III) organic complex were analyzed using Freundlich and Langmuir models. The Freundlich model provided good fits for all of the chromium (III) organic complexes. Sorption data for chromium (III) glutamate, chromium (III) pyruvate, chromium (III) oxalate, chromium (III) cysteine, chromium (III) ascorbate and chromium (III) citrate were described well by the Langmuir model. Estimates for the saturated sorption capacities were 141, 70.9, 36.5, 35.5, 28.6 and 4.4 μg/g, respectively. It was not possible to desorb significant amounts of the previously sorbed chromium (III) organic complexes. At the same pH, ionic strength and solid:liquid ratio, the order of the observed sorption to the Matawan soil from highest to lowest was chromium (III) mandelate, chromium (III) glutamate, chromium (III) histidine, chromium (III) cysteine, chromium (III) serine, chromium (III) pyruvate, chromium (III) oxalate, chromium (III) ascorbate and chromium (III) citrate.