Modelling Sorption of Metals from Aqueous Solution onto Mineral Particles: The Case of Arsenic Ions and Goethite Ore

Several mineral particles were shown to act as sorbents for metal ions. Among them, goethite, an abundant iron mineral, was found to present the specific advantage of being able to remove both cations and oxyanions, such as arsenic. The modelling of the sorption process, using the diffuse double layer model, was attempted in this paper. A good agreement with experimental results was found; therefore, it proved to be a useful tool for such sorption applications. A brief review of this scientific area is critically presented.