ADSORPTION ON HYDROUS OXIDES. III. FULVIC ACID AND HUMIC ACID ON GOETHITE, GIBBSITE AND IMOGOLITE

Abstract

Summary Adsorption isotherms were obtained for fulvic and humic acids on synthetic gibbsite and goethite and on a natural imogolite. The results were interpreted with the help of spectra of the adsorption complexes, and measurements of hydroxyl displaced. The mechanism of adsorption involved ligand exchange with the surface hydroxyl groups and hydrogen bonding. The hydroxyl groups displaced included singly coordinated species on the (100) face of goethite and on the edge faces of gibbsite. The doubly coordinated hydroxyl groups on the (001) face of gibbsite were not replaced, and this face adsorbed only un‐ionized fulvic acid probably by a hydrogen bonding mechanism. Imogolite adsorbed most fulvic acid because of its high porosity. Only isolated places on its surface reacted with fulvic acid to form carboxylate groups.