Suitable organoclays for removing slightly soluble organics from aqueous solutions

Nabil Bougdah, Pierre Magri, A

Abstract

The adsorption capacity of organo-bentonite towards slightly soluble in water organic compounds of dif ferent polarity was studied. The organic solutes were chlo robenzene, toluene and nitrotoluene. The adsorbent were the natural bentonite, the bentonite modified by Na + ion exchange and organo-bentonites intercalated wi th hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium, HDTMA, dimethylformami de, DMF, and dimethylsulfoxyde, DMSO. All adsorbent were characterized with the FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and TGA. Experimental results obtained make it poss ible to acquire a better comprehension of the adsorption me chanism and may be used to improve designing of sui table organo-bentonites for adsorption processes.