Sorption of Cd to colloidal ferric hydroxides—impact of pH and organic acids

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe sorption (both ad- and desorption) of Cd to or from colloidal ferric hydroxides as a function of pH, the concentration of organic acids (acetic acid (AA), EDTA, fulvic acid (FA) and malonic acid (MA)), the precipitation procedure for the ferric hydroxide as well as the contact time were investigated in the present study. The concentrations of Cd, colloids and organic acids were chosen to be representative of natural surface waters. The ferric hydroxide were either precipitated in presence of FA or the acid was mixed with the colloids after the purification steps. The presence of FA during the precipitation of ferric hydroxide, had an impact on the size distribution of the solid phase, but it did not have any influence on the sorption behaviour of Cd. The adsorption process was found to be relatively fast and largely pH-dependent. It was fully reversible when the pH was decreased, however, with somewhat slower kinetics. The addition of up to 1 mmol L−1 AA or MA did not cause any measurable desorption of Cd, probably due to the relatively weak complexes formed between Cd(II)-ions and the anions of the acids. Thermodynamic calculations of the distribution between different soluble Cd-species indicated that EDTA and FA would form stronger complexes with Cd. This was indicated in the experiments as enhanced adsorption at low pH-values due to the adsorption of Cd(II)-organic species, and an increase in the soluble fraction at high pH-values caused by competition for Cd(II)-ions between complex forming groups on the surfaces and the soluble organic ligands.