The coordination and speciation of selenate (SeO(4)) and sulfate (SO(4)) on goethite and Al oxide were studied using Raman and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Raman spectra were collected from pastes of suspensions containing 4 mM SeO(4) or SO(4). For SO(4), complementary data were collected by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in goethite systems with 1 mM SO(4) and in Al oxide systems with 4 mM SO(4). The combined data set of Raman and ATR-FTIR spectra indicate that both inner- and outer-sphere surface complexes of SeO(4) and SO(4) occur on these metal (hydr)oxide surfaces. These spectral data show that SeO(4) and SO(4) have a similar complexation behavior on the same adsorbent. On goethite, these form predominantly monodentate inner-sphere surface complexes at pH <6, while at pH >6 these anions exist predominantly as outer-sphere surface complexes. On Al oxide, in contrast, these anions exist predominantly as outer-sphere surface complexes, but a small fraction is also present as an inner-sphere complex at pH <6. A comparison of the spectral intensities of these anions on goethite and Al oxide shows that complexation of these anions with Al oxide is weaker than with Fe oxide. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.