Partitioning of heavy metals to suspended solids of the Flint River, Michigan

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6555936

McIlroy, L M; DePinto, J V; Young, T C; Martin, S C

The sorptive affinity of copper and zinc to suspended river sediments was investigated as a function of pH and adsorbent solids concentration. Water samples from the Flint River in Michigan were centrifuged to yield a composite sediment concentrate used as an adsorbent in experiments determining pH adsorption edges and conditional adsorption isotherms. Copper and zinc exhibited sharp pH adsorption edges at pH values of approximately 4 to 5.5 and 6 to 7, respectively. Both metals exhibited fractional adsorption decreases as total metal in the system increased. Adsorbent concentration increases were shown to cause decreases in measured copper partition coefficients. The indirect relationship between adsorbent concentration and partition coefficient was observed whether the adsorbent was concentrated or diluted without altering bulk solution chemistry. A mathematical formulation that incorporated both the adsorbent mass effects and the separation of sorbed metal into reversible and resistant components satisfactorily described the observations.

• Research Organization: Clarkson Univ., Potsdam, NY (USA). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6555936
• Report Number(s): PB-90-265034/XAB; CNN: EPA-810776
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 5, 609-623(1986)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COPPER
WATER CHEMISTRY
MICHIGAN
WATER POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
ZINC
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
DESORPTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
PH VALUE
RIVERS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION V
ISOTHERMS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)