Equilibrium and Kinetic Studies of Selective Organic Adsorption by Surfactant-Modified Clays

摘要

Adsorption processes for the removal of lower molecular weight organics fromwater generally suffer substantial losses of efficiency in the presence of high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM). Alternative adsorbent materials termed organoclays were evaluated, specifically montmorillonite clay modified by adsorption of four different cationic surfactants. Adsorption isotherms of tannic acid (surrogate NOM) onto the organoclays were curvilinear, favorable using long-chain surfactants, but unfavorable with TMA. However, linear isotherms and low heats of adsorption indicated partitioning to be the uptake mechanism of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB).