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Selenium sorption by kaolinite and montmorillonite

Journal Article · · Soil Sci.; (United States)

Toxic selenium (Se) concentrations were found recently in shallow ground water on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley in California. The origin of the Se and the mechanism by which it accumulated in the ground water are not known. The objective of this work was to study Se sorption by kaolinite and montmorillonite at different pH levels, as a model of Se sorption reactions in soils, and evaluate the role of adsorption in distributing Se between solution and solid phases of soils. Within an Se concentration range of 0 to about 12 ..mu..mol/L and pHs between 4 and 8, which cover the pH and Se concentrations in most affected drainage water, Se solubility in the studied suspensions was governed by adsorption. The sorption kinetics were best described by the Elovich equation. The adsorption decreased with elevating pH values and became negligible above pH 8. A modified competitive Langmuir model simulated satisfactorily Se retention by the two adsorbents under the studied experimental conditions. The greater adsorption of Se/sup 4/ than Se/sup 6/ by kaolinite and the different relative adsorption of Se/sup 4/ by kaolinite and montmorillonite above and below pH 7 were expressed in terms of model parameters. Hydroxyl ions were more effective in modifying the anions' adsorption capacity than competing with Se on common adsorption sites.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Agriculture, Fresno, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5319132
Journal Information:
Soil Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci.; (United States) Vol. 144:1; ISSN SOSCA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English