Freundlich adsorption isotherms for chromium (III) in Oxisols

Abstract

Environmental impacts caused by tannery waste application to agricultural soils must be studied to avoid biota and groundwater contamination. Soil chromium adsorption is very important, when the soil adsorptive capacity is exceeded and, potentially, the metals become available for leaching. The objectives of this study were to verify if the isotherm of Freundlich describes adequately the chromium adsorption by Oxisols, to study chromium adsorption considering different soils and horizons, as well as some chemical and physical attributes, and to evaluate the influence of the pH level on chromium adsorption. Samples of the A and B horizons of two soils were collected in the São Paulo State - Brazil: a) Typic Eutrorthox (LVe) and b) Typic Haplorthox (LVd). The pH alteration of the surface horizons was performed with the addition of calcium carbonate to reach 70% base saturation. Samples were shaken with CrCl3 solutions (prepared in Ca(NO3)2 5 mmol L-1 as the support electrolyte) of different initial chromium concentrations Co: 0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.5; 5.0; 10.0 and 50.0 mg L-1, using two replicates for each treatment. Freundlich isotherms were adjusted to describe the chromium adsorption by the soil. This isoterm fitted well to the experimental data. Chromium adsorption was higher in the Typic Eutrorthox than in the Typic Haplorthox. The adsorption was also favored by liming in both soils. There was no difference between chromium adsorption by the two horizons of the soils.