Sorption of phosphate ions on iron(III), zirconium(IV), and chromium(III) oxyhydroxides from aqueous electrolyte solutions

The adsorption of phosphate ions from aqueous solutions with an ionic strength of 0.5 on iron(III), zirconium(IV), and chromium(III) oxyhydroxide hydrogels has been studied as influenced by chloride and sulfate ions. Despite the high concentrations of chloride and sulfate ions, they do not inhibit phosphate adsorption on the hydrogels; they only slightly change the isotherm shape. In the range of equilibrium phosphate concentrations equal to 30–50 mmol/l, all isotherms for iron and zirconium oxyhydroxide gels signify the appearance of a second adsorption layer (two-step isotherms). Both steps are satisfactorily fitted by the Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorptions and adsorption constants have been calculated. For chromium oxyhydroxide gels, the intraduction of an electrolyte dramatically decreases the equilibration rate.