Molybdenum adsorption on oxides, clay minerals, and soils

Molybdenum adsorption behavior was investigated on various crystalline and x-ray amorphous Al and Fe oxide minerals, clay minerals, CaCO3, and arid-zone calcareous and noncalcareous soils. Molybdenun adsorption on both Al and Fe oxides exhibited a maximum at low pH extending to about pH 4 to 5. Above pH 5 adsorption decreased rapidly, with little adsorption occurring above pH 8. Molybdenum adsorption was higher for the oxide minerals having higher specific surface area and lower crystallinity. Molybdenum adsorption on the clay minerals exhibited a peak near pH 3 and then decreased rapidly with increasing pH until adsorption was virtually zero near pH 7. The magnitude of Mo adsorption on clays increased in the order: kaolinite < illite < montmorillonite. Shifts in point of zero charge were observed on Al and Fe oxides and kaolinite following Mo adsorption, indicating an inner-sphere adsorption mechanism for Mo on these surfaces. Molybdenum adsorption behavior on three arid-zone noncalcareous soils resembled that on clays, exhibiting a peak near pH 3 to 4 and decreasing with increasing pH up to pH 7. This behavior is expected since the oxide content of these soils is low. Molybdenum adsorption on calcite and two calcareous arid-zone soils was low, indicating that CaCO3 is not a significant sink for Mo in soils.