Cadmium sorption on γ-Al2O3 and goethite in the presence of silicate: insights from XRD and FTIR studies

Purpose The application of silicon could effectively alleviate Cd contamination in the soil. However, the interaction between silicon and Cd in soils is not well understood. Our research aims to investigate the mechanism of the impact of silicate on the sorption of Cd on metal oxides in soils. Materials and methods Sodium silicate and Cd(II) co-sorption on γ-Al 2 O 3 and goethite at pH 5.5 and 7.5 was studied using a combination of batch sorption experiments, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results and discussion Silicate enhanced the sorption of Cd(II) onto γ-Al 2 O 3 at pH 5.5 and 7.5. However, the sorption of Cd(II) on goethite at pH 5.5 and 7.5 was only promoted when the silicate concentration reached 1 mmol L −1 . Cadmium(II) enhanced silicate sorption on γ-Al 2 O 3 at pH 5.5 and on goethite at pH 7.5, while it decreased silicate sorption on γ-Al 2 O 3 at pH 7.5 and had no significant effect on goethite at pH 5.5. At pH 5.5, Cd(II) reacted with silicate to generate Cd 2 SiO 4 , and Cd-Si-Al ternary complexes were formed on γ-Al 2 O 3 . At pH 7.5, silicate promoted the formation of Cd(OH) 2 on γ-Al 2 O 3 , which ultimately transformed into CdCO 3 . When silicate concentration reached 1 mmol L −1 , more silicate complexes were formed through the Fe-O-Si bound on goethite at both pH 5.5 and 7.5 to promote the adsorption of Cd(II) owing to its electronegative functional group on the surface of the complex. Conclusions The type of clay minerals, pH, and the presence of silicate all significantly affected Cd sorption. Furthermore, the sorption mechanism of Cd on γ-Al 2 O 3 and goethite in the presence of silicate has been elucidated. The above findings improve our understanding of the mechanism for immobilizing Cd in soils using silicon-containing materials.