ADSORPTION OF LEAD AND CADMIUM IONS ON CALCITE IN THE KRKA ESTUARY

The adsorption of Pb2+ and of Cd2+ ions from calcareous Krka river water of various salinities (3, 14, 20 and 38 psu) on calcite (CaCO3, Merck p.a.) was investigated. Simultaneous adsorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions was studied as well. The results suggest that the two ions are adsorbed at different calcite surface sites; Pb2+ remained firmly bound to calcite at all salinities, whereas Cd2+ was firmly bound at low salinities and released at high salinities. Dissolved natural organic ligands at the freshwater-seawater interface (FSI; at 14 psu) promoted and below the FSI (at 20 psu) decreased the adsorption of Cd2+. The experiments were performed at metal concentrations of 8 x 10(-8) mol l-1 and at natural pH values around pH 8. Adsorbed amounts of trace metal ions were determined in filtered samples by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) with a three-electrode system, after 24 h of equilibration with calcite. Several adsorption models were tested, such as Freundlich's, Langmuir's and Schindler-Stumm's surface coordination model. Adsorption isotherms belong to S-1 class of empirical adsorption isotherms. None gave reasonable values of adsorption constants. The fractional partitioning of adsorbent to the solid phase when normalized to the quantity of adsorbent present (K(d)) declined as solid concentration increased. It was found that the surface charge is not responsible for the observed effect. Instead, aggregate size increased, which effected a loss in surface area. This is a reasonable explanation for the observed S-shaped adsorption isotherms curves.