The sorption of divalent metal ions on AlPO4.

The sorption of Cu(2+), Pb(2+), Ni(2+), and Cd(2+) ions on the aluminum(III) phosphate was observed to increase with increases in the concentration, temperature, and pH of the system. The apparent dissociation (pK(a)), binding (pK(b)) and exchange (pK(ex)) constants of aluminum(III) phosphate were evaluated and found to be dependent upon the temperature and nature of the metal cations. The values of the dissociation constants (pK(a)) followed the order Pb(2+)<Cu(2+)<Cd(2+)<Ni(2+)<K(+), opposite to the values of the binding constants and selectivity shown by the solid. Ion exchange between protons from the surface and metal cations from aqueous solution was found to be responsible for the metal ions sorption by AlPO(4). The values of the dissociation (pK(a)) and exchange (pK(ex)) constants were used to estimate the corresponding apparent thermodynamic parameters (DeltaH(o)(diss), DeltaS(o)(diss) and DeltaH(o)(exch), DeltaS(o)(exch)). The values of DeltaH(o)(diss) and DeltaH(o)(exch) were found to be positive, which showed that both the dissociation and exchange processes were endothermic in nature. The DeltaS(o)(diss) and DeltaS(o)(exch) were also found to be positive, which showed that both the deprotonation and exchange processes on the AlPO(4) were entropy driven and spontaneous.