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Surface properties of particulates in modern marine sediments influence surface physico-chemical processes such as adsorption and adhesion of variety dissolved and particulate inorganic and organic species. This study reports on surface properties of micron and submicron-sized mineral phases separated from sediments of different marine environments collected along the eastern Adriatic coast. The surface physico-chemical characteristics, i.e., the specific surface area (SSA), the cation exchange capacity (CEC), and the electrokinetic properties were investigated in relation to the size, structural and morphological characteristics of mineral particles, and the presence of organic matter and Fe oxide/oxyhydroxide coatings at their surfaces. The structural and morphological properties of these particles were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and metal analyses were performed by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS). The results obtained show that surface properties of mineral phases were related to their size, mineral composition, and the presence of organic matter and Fe oxide/oxyhydroxide coatings at their surfaces. The concentrations of trace metals in these solids are closely associated to their surface properties. |
