Metal (hydr)oxide surface precipitates and their effects on potassium sorption

Surface precipitation has been shown to occur on rapid time scales in clay and metal oxide mineral systems. The formation of surface precipitates is hypothesized to present new potential sorption sites for potassium (K), where K can become incorporated into newly formed interlayer spaces (e.g., between tetrahedral-octahedral-tetrahedral stacked sheets). The objective of this study is to determine the effects of newly formed mineral surface precipitates on K sorption. Potassium adsorption experiments were conducted by utilizing Al2O3 and SiO2 sorbents in the presence of various cations (magnesium, zinc, and nickel) that helped to catalyze the formation of surface precipitates. Dissolved concentrations of elements were monitored via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Solids were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), and K surface complexation was analyzed via X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated bayerite, layered double hydroxides (LDH), and silicated LDH were formed as reaction products, thus creating new surface sites for potential K adsorption. The presence of Si increased K adsorption perhaps due to its role in the formation of LDH surface precipitates. When the differences between observed and theoretical surface area normalized K sorption densities were averaged, a 31% increase in K adsorption was observed in the presence of Si. XANES analysis indicated that the binding mechanism of K to Si is different than that of K to Al, perhaps due to the presence of inner-sphere complexation of K to Al-oxide. Samples reacted for one month versus one week yielded more intense XANES post-edge peaks which indicated that the K sorption complex changes over time. Overall, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of K fixation in soil and has high implication in providing improved K fertilizer recommendation to growers.