Kinetic study of aluminum adsorption by aluminosilicate clay minerals
The adsorption kinetics of Al/sup 3 +/ by montmorillonite, kaolinite, and vermiculite were investigated as a function of the initial Al concentration, the surface area of the clay, and H/sup +/ concentration, at 25/sup 0/, 18/sup 0/, and 10/sup 0/C. In order to minimize complicated side reactions the pH range was kept between 3.0 and 4.1. Results showed that the adsorption rate was first order with respect to both the initial Al concentration and the clay surface area. Changes in pH within this narrow range had virtually no effect on adsorption rate. This zero order reaction dependence suggested that the H/sup +/, compared to Al, has a weak affinity for the surface. The rates of adsorption decreased in the order of montmorillonite > kaolinite > vermiculite when compared on the basis of equal surface areas, but changed to kaolinite > montmorillonite > vermiculite when the clays were compared on an equal exchange capacity basis. The calculated apparent activation energies were < 32 kJ mol/sup -1/, indicating that over the temperature range of the study the adsorption process is only marginally temperature sensitive. The mechanism is governed by a simple electrostatic cation exchange involving outer sphere complexes between adsorbed Al and the clay surface. Vermiculite, may have a second reaction step governed by both electrostatic attraction and internal ion diffusion. Equilibrium constants for the formation of an adsorbed Al clay complex were also estimated and are 10/sup 5.34/, 10/sup 5.18/, and 10/sup 4.94/ for kaolinite, montmorillonite, and vermiculite, respectively, suggesting that these clays could play a significant role in controlling soil solutions Al concentrations.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Maine, Orono (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7222748
- Journal Information:
- Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States), Vol. 52:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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