Speciation of adsorbed yttrium and rare earth elements on oxide surfaces

The distribution of yttrium and the rare earth elements (YREE) between natural waters and oxide mineral surfaces depends on adsorption reactions, which in turn depend on the specific way in which YREE are coordinated to mineral surfaces. Recent X-ray studies have established that Y³⁺ is adsorbed to the rutile (1 1 0) surface as a distinctive tetranuclear species. However, the hydrolysis state of the adsorbed cation is not known from experiment. Previous surface complexation models of YREE adsorption have suggested two to four cation hydrolysis states coexisting on oxide surfaces. In the present study, we investigate the applicability of the X-ray results to rare earth elements and to several oxides in addition to rutile using the extended triple-layer surface complexation model. The reaction producing a hydrolyzed tetranuclear surface species