title: Adsorption of phosphate on hydroxyaluminum- and hydroxyiron-montmorillonite complexes.
abstract: One hydroxyaluminum-montmorillonite complex (HyAl-Mt), two hydroxyiron-montmorillonite complexes (HyFe-Mts) with different iron contents, and three hydroxyiron/aluminum-montmorillonite complexes (HyFeAl-Mts) with various Fe:Al molar ratios were synthesized. Behavior and kinetics of phosphate (P) sorption on selected Mt-complexes mentioned above were investigated under acidic conditions. The results indicated that the intercalations of polymeric HyFe and/or HyAl ions in interlayers of Na-saturated montmorillonite (Na-Mt) caused significant changes in surface properties of the Na-Mt, such as cation exchange capacity, specific surface area, pH at zero point of charge. In pH range tested (3.0-6.5), P adsorption on the Mt-complexes decreased with increasing pH, whereas the effect became weaker with increasing Fe contents in the Mt-complexes. The adsorption capacities of the HyFeAl-Mts were greater than those of the HyAl-Mt and HyFe-Mt, which could be attributed to decreasing crystallinity of Fe and Al oxides in the HyFeAl-Mts. The equilibrium adsorption of P on the Mt-complexes could be well described using the Langmuir isotherm, and the kinetics of P adsorption could be well described by both the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models. An increase in Fe contents in the Mt-complexes could enhance the initial kinetic rate of P adsorption, as suggested by the Elovich models. It is inferred that a great number of Fe-related active sorption sites have been located on the outer surfaces of the HyFe-Mt, as indicated by extremely high alpha value in the Elovich model. Previous studies focusing mainly on P sorption on HyAl-Mt complexes might have underestimated the contributions of Mt-complexes to P retention in acidic soils high in Fe contents.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China. zhumaoxu@ouc.edu.cn
authors.forename: Mao-Xu
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Kui-Ying
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Shao-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000535:Aluminum; D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron; D007700:Kinetics; D010710:Phosphates / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D012987:Soil; D001546:Bentonite; D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron