T. Hiemstra et Wh. Van Riemsdijk, Surface structural ion adsorption modeling of competitive binding of oxyanions by metal (hydr)oxides, J COLL I SC, 210(1), 1999, pp. 182-193
Spectroscopy has provided a progressive flow of information concerning the
binding mechanism(s) of ions and their surface-complex structure. An import
ant challenge in surface complexation models (SCM) is to connect the molecu
lar microscopic reality to macroscopic adsorption phenomena. This is import
ant because SCM alone provide insufficient insight in the binding mechanism
s, and moreover, it is a priori not obvious that SCM, which describe the pH
dependent adsorption correctly in simple systems, will predict the ion int
eraction under multicomponent conditions. This study elucidates the primary
factor controlling the adsorption process by analysing the adsorption and
competition of PO4, AsO4, and SeO3. We show that the structure of the surfa
ce-complex acting in the dominant electrostatic field can be ascertained as
the primary controlling adsorption factor. The surface species of arsenate
are identical with those of phosphate and the adsorption behavior is very
similar. On the basis of the selenite adsorption, we show that the commonly
used 2pK models are incapable to incorporate in the adsorption modeling th
e correct bidentate binding mechanism found by spectroscopy. The use of the
bidentate mechanism leads to a proton-oxyanion ratio and corresponding pH
dependency that are too large. The inappropriate intrinsic charge attributi
on to the primary surface groups and the condensation of the inner sphere s
urface complex to a point charge are responsible for this behavior of commo
nly used 2pK models. Both key factors are differently defined in the charge
distributed multi site complexation (CD-MUSIC) model and are based in this
model on a surface structural approach. The CD-MUSIC model can successfull
y describe the macroscopic adsorption phenomena using the surface speciatio
n and binding mechanisms as found by spectroscopy. The model is also able t
o predict the anion competition well. The charge distribution in the interf
ace is in agreement with the observed structure of surface complexes. (C) 1
999 Academic Press.