Influence of mineral characteristics on the retention of low molecular weight organic compounds: A batch sorption–desorption and ATR-FTIR study

[Display omitted] •Organic acids sorption–desorption to minerals were examined by batch experiments.•Interaction mechanisms were evaluated using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.•Overall, carboxylic acids sorption and retention were higher than amino acids.•Minerals with variable charge (Fe oxides) sorbed more carboxylic acids.•Permanently charged minerals showed greater potential to sorb amino acids. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the sorption–desorption behaviour of 14C-labelled carboxylic acids (citric and oxalic) and amino acids (glutamic, alanine, phenylalanine and lysine) on pure minerals (kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, ferrihydrite and goethite). The sorption experiments were complemented by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to gain possible mechanistic insight into the organic acids–mineral interactions. In terms of charge, the organic solutes ranged from strongly negative (i.e., citric) to positively charged solutes (i.e., lysine); similarly the mineral phases also ranged from positively to negatively charged surfaces. In general, sorption of anionic carboxylic and glutamic acids was higher compared to the other compounds (except lysine). Cationic lysine showed a stronger affinity to permanently charged phyllosilicates than Fe oxides. The sorption of alanine and phenylalanine was consistently low for all minerals, with relatively higher sorption and lower desorption of phenylalanine than alanine. Overall, the role of carboxylic functional groups for the sorption and retention of these carboxylic and amino acids on Fe oxides (and kaolinite) and of amino group on 2:1 phyllosilicates was noticeable. Mineral properties (surface chemistry, specific surface area), chemistry of the organic compounds (pKa value, functional groups) and the equilibrium pH of the system together controlled the differences in sorption–desorption patterns. The results of this study aid to understand the effects of mineralogical and chemical factors that affect naturally occurring low molecular weight organic compounds sorption under field conditions.