Adsorption of Organic Acids and Phosphate to an Iron (Oxyhydr)oxide Mineral: A Combined Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study

The interaction of soil organic matter with mineral surfaces is a critical reaction involved in many ecosystem services, including stabilization of organic matter in the terrestrial carbon pool and bioavailability of plant nutrients. Using model organic acids typically present in soil solutions, this study couples laboratory adsorption studies with density functional theory (DFT) to provide physical insights into the nature of the chemical bonding between carboxylate functional groups and a model FeOOH cluster. Topological determination of electron density at bond critical points using quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis revealed that the presence of multiple bonding paths between the organic acid and the FeOOH cluster is essential in determining the competitive adsorption of organic acids and phosphate for FeOOH surface adsorption sites. The electron density and Laplacian parameter values from QTAIM indicated that the primary carboxylate-FeOOH bond was more ionic than covalent in nature. The experimental and computational results provide molecular-level evidence of the important role of electrostatic forces in the bonding between carboxylic acids and Fe-hydroxides. This knowledge may assist in the formulation of management studies to meet the challenges of maintaining ecosystems services in the face of a changing climate.