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Purely Donnan type models for electrostatic binding by humic acid (HA) nanoparticles are shown to be physically incomplete. To describe the extent of ion binding by HA, such models need to invoke parameters that are not consistent with experimental observations. These disparate parameters include anomalously high Donnan potentials, as well as intrinsic affinity constants for electrostatically associating ions such as Ca(2+). In contrast, the recently introduced counterion condensation - Donnan model (CCD) provides a physicochemically realistic description of the electrostatic contribution to metal ion binding by humic acid nanoparticles. The extent of Ca(2+)-HA association can be adequately described solely in terms of electrostatics only, including counterion condensation in the intraparticulate double layer in addition to Donnan partitioning in the remainder of the particle body. The binding of Cd(ii), Pb, (ii) and Cu(ii) by HA also involves inner-sphere complex formation leading to intraparticulate metal species distributions with major proportions of condensed and complexed ions.

In aqueous dispersions of soft, charged nanoparticles, the physicochemical conditions prevailing within the particle body generally differ substantially from those in the bulk medium. Accordingly it is necessary to define intrinsic descriptors that appropriately reflect the chemical speciation inside the particle's microenvironment. Herein the speciation of divalent metal ions within the body of negatively charged soft nanoparticulate complexants is elaborated for the example case of humic acid association with Cd(ii), Pb(ii) and Cu(ii). The electrostatic effects are described by a two-state model that accounts for counterion condensation in the intraparticulate double layer shell at the particle/medium interface and Donnan partitioning within the bulk of the particle body. Inner-sphere complex formation is defined by an intrinsic binding constant expressed in terms of local reactant concentrations as controlled by the pertinent electrostatic conditions. For the high particle charge density case (Debye length smaller than charged site separation), three distinct intraparticulate metal species are identified, namely free hydrated ions, electrostatically condensed ions, and inner-sphere metal-humic complexes. For all metal ions studied, the electrostatic contribution to the association of the metal ion with the oppositely charged particle is found to account for a substantial fraction of the total metal bound.