Modeling the adsorption of Cd(II) onto Muloorina illite and related clay minerals

The adsorption of Cd(II) onto goethite, kaolinite, and illite was measured as a function of pH (adsorption edges) and concentration (adsorption isotherms) at 25 °C. As the pH was increased, adsorption onto goethite occurred mainly in the pH range 5.5–8, whereas adsorption onto kaolinite occurred in two stages, separated by a plateau in the pH region 5.5 to 7. Adsorption onto illite increased steadily as the pH was increased, with far less Cd(II) adsorbing onto illite than onto goethite or kaolinite per m 2 of mineral surface area. Potentiometric titrations of suspensions of each mineral, with and without Cd(II) present, were also completed. Results from all three types of experiments were modeled using an extended constant- capacitance surface complexation model. The reactions Cd 2++ SOH⇌ SOCd ++ H +, SOH+ Cd 2+⇌ SOH- -Cd 2+, and Cd 2++ SOH+ H 2 O⇌ SOCdOH+2 H + best described Cd(II) adsorption onto goethite, while Cd 2++2 X − - -K +⇌( X 2) 2− - -Cd 2++2 K + and 2 SOH+ Cd 2+⇌( SO) 2 Cd+2 H + best described Cd(II) adsorption onto kaolinite. A combination of the first, second, and fourth of these reactions best fitted the data for Cd(II) adsorption onto illite. In each case the model fitted all experimental data well. The results suggest that adsorption onto the variable charge (SOH) sites on illite more closely resembles adsorption onto goethite than onto kaolinite.