Adsorption of phosphate by cerium hydroxide

Abstract

This study investigated the ability of cerium hydroxide (CE) to adsorb phosphate, and compared it to the aluminum compounds boehmite (BE) and gibbsite (GB), which possess high phosphate adsorption ability. Speci c surface area, number of hydroxyl groups, and amount of phosphate adsorbed were measured. Results indicated that speci c surface area increased in the order GB < CE < BE, number of hydroxyl groups increased GB < BE < CE, and amount of phosphate adsorbed increased GB < BE < CE. These results showed that the adsorption mechanism of phosphate using CE was more closely related to chemical factors involved in the exchange of phosphate with hydroxyl groups onto CE than to physical factors such as speci c surface area. © 2010 The Surface Science Society of Japan.