Impact of Hydrous Manganese and Ferric Oxides on the Behavior of Aqueous Rare Earth Elements (REE): Evidence from a Modeling Approach and Implication for the Sink of REE

Haiyan Liu, Olivier Pourret, Huaming Guo, Raul E. Martinez and Lahcen Zouhri
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Haiyan Liu: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Olivier Pourret: UniLaSalle, AGHYLE, 60026 Beauvais CEDEX, France
Huaming Guo: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Raul E. Martinez: Institut für Geo- und Ulweltnaturwissenschaften, Albert-Ludwigs Universität, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Lahcen Zouhri: UniLaSalle, AGHYLE, 60026 Beauvais CEDEX, France

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: In this study, models were used for the first time to investigate the fate and transport of rare earth elements (REE) in the presence of hydrous manganese and ferric oxides in groundwaters from the coastal Bohai Bay (China). Results showed that REE sorption is strongly dependent on pH, as well as hydrous manganese and ferric oxide content. Higher proportions of REE were sorbed by hydrous manganese oxide as compared to hydrous ferric oxides, for example in the presence of neodymium. In this case, a mean 28% of this element was sorbed by hydrous manganese oxide, whereas an average 7% sorption was observed with hydrous ferric oxides. A contrasting REE sorption behavior was observed with hydrous manganese and ferric oxide for all investigated groundwaters. Specifically, REE bound to hydrous manganese oxides showed decreasing sorption patterns with increasing atomic number. The opposite trend was observed in the presence of hydrous ferric oxides. In addition, these results suggested that light REE (from La to Sm) rather than heavy REE (from Eu to Lu) are preferentially scavenged by hydrous manganese oxide. However, the heavy REE showed a greater affinity for hydrous ferric oxides compared to light REE. Therefore, both hydrous manganese and ferric oxide are important scavengers of REE. This study shows the implication of hydrous manganese and ferric oxide sorption for the sink of REE in groundwater.

Keywords: rare earth elements; adsorption; hydrous manganese oxides; hydrous ferric oxides; surface complexation modeling; lanthanides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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