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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 48(1)

Surface charge characteristics and sorption properties of bauxite-processing residue sand

I. R. Phillips A C and C. Chen B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Alcoa of Australia Ltd, PO Box 172, Pinjarra, WA 6208, Australia.

B Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: Ian.Phillips@alcoa.com.au

Australian Journal of Soil Research 48(1) 77-87 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR09056
Submitted: 1 April 2009  Accepted: 9 September 2009   Published: 26 February 2010

Abstract

Bauxite-processing residue sand (BRS) is the primary growth medium used to rehabilitate Alcoa’s residue storage areas (RSAs) in south-west Western Australia. This material is typically coarse-textured, highly saline, highly alkaline, extremely sodic, and deficient in plant nutrients. To develop appropriate fertiliser strategies for optimising rehabilitation performance, a fundamental understanding of the surface charge and nutrient retention properties of BRS is essential. The contribution of permanent (σp) and variable (σv) charge to the overall magnitude and sign of the surface charge, and ammonium (NH4) and phosphorus (P) sorption, as a function of pH were studied. Samples of BRS were obtained from Alcoa’s Kwinana (KW), Pinjarra (PJ), and Wagerup (WG) Refineries. Each sample exhibited predominantly variable charge (σv ≈ 8–12 cmol/kg at pH 12), and negligible permanent negative charge (σp ≈ 0.2 cmol/kg). The point of zero net charge (PZNC) was observed at pH 6.96, 6.89, and 5.98 for the KW, PJ, and WG samples, respectively. These values are consistent with those reported for soils dominated by Fe and Al oxides and hydroxides but containing negligible organic matter. Solution and adsorbed NH4 decreased with increasing pH (pH 7–11) for BRS. It was suggested that ammonia volatilisation was a major loss pathway for NH4 applied to BRS. Phosphorus sorption decreased with increasing pH for each BRS. It was suggested that the presence of competing anions (i.e. carbonate) and increasing negative surface charge density were the major causes for this behaviour. The results from this study have major implications for the selection of suitable types of fertilisers (particularly nitrogen) for rehabilitating alkaline BRS.

Additional keywords: pH, permanent surface charge, variable surface charge, ammonium adsorption, phosphorus sorption, point of zero net charge.


Acknowledgments

The authors thank Alcoa’s Western Australia Residue Operations group for funding this study, CSBP Ltd and the Western Australia Chemistry Centre for chemical analyses, Mr Laurin Wissmeier, Federal Technical University of Lausanne for specific surface area measurement, and Professor Martin Fey, The University of Western Australia, and Professor Richard Haynes, The University of Queensland, for mineralogical analysis and helpful comments during preparation of this manuscript.


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