The coagulation, solubility and adsorption properties of Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co and humic acids in a river water

doi:10.1016/0016-7037(81)90161-7

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

Volume 45, Issue 2, February 1981, Pages 181-189

https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(81)90161-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

River water (Water of Luce, Scotland) is used in laboratory experiments designed to investigate physical and chemical properties of Fe. Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Cd and humic acids in riverine and estuarine systems. Using NaCl, MgCl₂ and CaCl₂ as coagulating agents, coagulation of dissolved (0.4 μm filtered) Fe, Cu, Ni, Cd and humic acids increases in a similar matter with increasing salt molarily: Ca²⁺ is the most dominant coagulating agent. Removal by coagulation with Ca²⁺ at seawater concentrations ranges from large (Fe-80%. HA-60%, Cu-40%) to small (Ni, Cd-15%) to essentially nothing (Cd, Mn-3%). Destabilization of colloids is the indicated mechanism. Solubility-pH measurements show that between a pH of 3 and 9, Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Co and Cd are being held in the dissolved phase by naturally occurring organic substances. Between pH of 2.2 and 1.2 a large proportion of dissolved Fe, Cu. Ni and Cd (72, 35,44 and 36% respectively) is precipitated along with the humic acids; in contrast, Mn and Co show little precipitation (3%). Adsorption-pH experiments, using unfiltered river water spiked with Cu, indicate that adsorption of Cu onto suspended particles is inhibited to a large extent by the formation of dissolved Cu-organic complexes.

The experimental results demonstrate that solubilities and adsorption properties of certain trace metals in freshwaters can be opposite to those observed with artificial solutions or predicted with chemical models. Interaction with organic substances is a critical factor.

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The coagulation, solubility and adsorption properties of Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co and humic acids in a river water

Abstract

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Chem. Geol.

Mar. Pollut. Bull.

Neth. J. Sea Res.

Geochim. Cosmochim Acta

Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci.

Water Res.

Chem. Geol.

Estuarine Coastal Mar. Sci.

J. Colloid Interface Sci.

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Chem. Geol.

Chem. Geol.

J. Colloid Interface Sci.

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Earth Planet Sci. Lett.