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ADSORPTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PERCHLORATE IN SOILS
Citation:
Susarla, S., G. Wood, N L. Wolfe, AND S C. McCutcheon. ADSORPTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PERCHLORATE IN SOILS. Presented at 20th Annual Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 14-18, 1999.
Description:
Perchlorate(CI04) is an oxyanion that originates as a contaminant in ground and surface waters from the dissolution of ammonium, potassium, magnesium or sodium salts. Perchlorate is mainly used in solid rocket fuels, explosives, and military batteries. Because of its potential harmful effects perchlorate has recently been added to the EPAs Contaminate Candidate List. The adsorption characteristics of Perchlorate in six different sandy soils was examined in laboratory. The results suggest that Perchlorate sorption was strongly dependent on pH, temperature and organic matter of the soils. The adsorption was maximum around pH 6.5, while temperature had less significant effect. Organic matter present in the soil was primarily responsible for the sorption of perchlorate. The adsorption data of perchlorate followed a non-linear Freundlich-type isotherm (S = K Cn) with n<1 and K values between 0.76 and 1.25. Chemisorption is the most probable mechanism for perchlorate adsorption in these soils.