Adsorption mechanisms of inositol hexakisphosphate in the presence of phosphate at the amorphous aluminum oxyhydroxide-water interface

Myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (myo-IHP) is one of the most common soil organic phosphorus (P) species in soil. Its retention in soil is often competed by phosphate, making bioavailability of P species difficult. In this study, the adsorption mechanism of myo-IHP at the amorphous aluminum (oxyhydr)oxide (AAH)-water interface was investigated at pH 6.5 in the presence of phosphate using batch adsorption experiments and solution ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The ratio of [myo-IHP]_i/[phosphate]_i (Ri) was kept 0.33–3 while ligand addition was varied. In the absence of phosphate, myo-IHP forms inner-sphere surface complexes in AAH via P1,3, P2, P4,6, and P5 functional group coordination. When two ligands were simultaneously added, fewer P functional groups of myo-IHP coordinated to AAH and the surface complexes were altered with the coordination of mainly P1,3 and P2 functional groups. When phosphate was pre-adsorbed, myo-IHP adsorption decreased by 8.0–44% compared to the respective simultaneous addition system. P2 or P5 functional group was predominantly coordinated to the AAH surfaces at Ri = 0.33. Myo-IHP pre-adsorption resulted in an increase in the final myo-IHP adsorption compared to that in the simultaneous addition system under the respective Ri values (0.33–3). In this system, P1,3, P2, P4,6, and P5 functional groups were coordinated to form inner-sphere surface complexes regardless of Ri. The study revealed that the functional group specific adsorption mechanism of myo-IHP at the AAH-water interface was affected by addition sequence and Ri of two ligands. The competitive adsorption between organic P and phosphate plays an important role in the fate of P in soils.