Chemical behavior of organic compounds in the interface of water/dual-cation organobentonite

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Chen, Bao-liang

Affiliations: Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The sorption behavior of polar or ionizable organiccompounds, such as p-nitrophenol, phenol and aniline, in the water/organobentonite systems is investigated. Both adsorption andpartition occur to the sorption of organic compounds to dual-cationorganobentonites. The separate contributions of adsorption andpartition to the total sorption of organic compounds to dual-cationorganobentonites are analyzed mathematically in the first time. The factors to the contributions are also discussed. The results indicated that the contribution of adsorption and partition is related to the composition and ratio of dual-cation surfactants exchanging onto the bentonite. The sorption of organic compounds to dual-cation organobentonite is dominated by adsorption at low concentrations and by partition at high concentrations, making the organobentonites powerful sorbents for organic contaminants over wide range of concentrations.

Keywords: dual-cation organobentonite, p-nitrophenol, aniline, phenol, sorption behavior

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 12-19, 2002