Sorption reactions of inner sphere complexes are applicable in the transport and retention of trace elements in soil systems. In particular, the sorbent materials found in nature are often metal-oxide inner sphere complexes.
In nature, this is particularly important for iron and manganese cycling, as both are effected by the redox potential of their environments for weathering to occur. Oxyanions such as can hinder the dissolution and weathering of these metals. Reductive dissolution in these environments may take longer or be non-existent as a result. However, an understanding of this has led to greater usage of oxyanions in built environments where corrosion and weathering needs to be limited.
Ion size of the central metal and of inorganic ligands also play a role in the weathering. Alkali earth metals have reduced sorption as their ion size increases due to decreased affinity to anionic charges, which increases their mobility through weathering as a result.
For nonpolar ligands, van der Waals forces instead play a larger role in sorption interactions. Hydrogen bonding does also occur, but is not a part of the adsorption process itself. Due to these factors, the soil quality influences the retention and depletion of nutrients, pollutants, and other ligands that perform sorption with the soil.
Generally, the charged surface of a metallic ion can become charged via crystalline imperfections, chemical reactions at the surface, or sorption at the surface-active ion. Clay minerals are an example of these interactions, and as such can explain chemical homeostasis in the ocean, biogeochemical cycling of metals, and even radioactive waste disposal.
In engineering applications, the clay minerals can promote sodium ion adsorption in petroleum extraction, alongside the creation of environmental liners through the development of a stern layer.
Additionally, water remediation can also be considered a by-product of inner sphere complexes found in clay and other mineral complexes. This is theorized to occur due to metal-metal precipitation, such as in the case of iron-arsenic. However, pH can greatly affect the surface binding effectiveness in this case as well.