Surface complexation model of cation adsorption on humic soils

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Abstract
We constructed a new surface complexation model designated as “multi-layer model” that describes the cation adsorption on humic soils. This model is different from the existing surface complexation models in three ways: (1) we assumed the existence of a cylindrical surface, instead of a planar surface, as a model of humic polymers, (2) we ignored the diffuse ion swarm formation and assumed that all the adsorbed ions are held by the formation of outer-sphere surface complexes, and (3) we assumed that different ions are adsorbed on different planes. The applicability of the model to describe the experimental data on acid-base properties of a humic soil was satisfactory.