Phosphorus-Enhanced and Calcium-Retarded Transport of Ferrihydrite Colloid: Mechanism of Electrostatic Potential Changes Regulated via Adsorption Speciation

Jie Ma*, Jinbo Li, Liping Weng*, Xiaoxue Ouyang, Yali Chen, Yongtao Li

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The transport of ferrihydrite colloid (FHC) through porous media is influenced by anions (e.g., PO43-) and cations (e.g., Ca2+) in the aqueous environment. This study investigated the cotransport of FHC with P and P/Ca in saturated sand columns. The results showed that P adsorption enhanced FHC transport, whereas Ca loaded onto P-FHC retarded FHC transport. Phosphate adsorption provided a negative potential on the FHC, while Ca added to P-FHC led to electrostatic screening, compression of the electric double layer, and formation of Ca5(PO4)3OH followed by heteroaggregation at pH ≥ 6.0. The monodentate and bidentate P surface complexes coexisted, and Ca mainly formed a ternary complex with bidentate P (≡(FeO)2PO2Ca). The unprotonation bidentate P at the Stern 1-plane had a considerable negative potential at the Van der Waals molecular surface. Extending the potential effect to the outer layer of FHC, the potential at the Stern 2-plane and zeta potential exhibited a corresponding change, resulting in a change in FHC mobility, which was validated by comparison of experimental results, DFT calculations, and CD-MUSIC models. Our results highlighted the influence of P and Ca on FHC transport and elucidated their interaction mechanisms based on quantum chemistry and colloidal chemical interface reactions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4219-4230
Number of pages12
JournalEnvironmental Science and Technology
Volume57
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Feb 2023

Keywords

  • calcium
  • CD-MUSIC
  • DFT calculation
  • ferrihydrite colloids
  • phosphorus
  • transport

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