Antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) is immobile in the subsurface but it has been frequently detected in the aquatic system. Therefore it is important to investigate the factors impacting CIP's mobilization in aquifer. Laboratory columns packed with sand were used to test colloid-facilitated CIP transport by 1) using kaolinite or montmorillonite to mobilize presorbed-CIP in a column or 2) co-transpo...

Soil surface electrochemical properties may have a strong influence on nitrifying microorganisms, Hþ and NH4 þ activities, and therefore on the nitrification process. A gradient of surface electrochemical parameters was obtained by amendment of a subtropical acid pine soil (Oxisol) with 0% (control), 3%, 5%, 8%, 10% and 12% pure Ca-Montmorillonite by weight. The Hþ and NH4þ activities, the abun...

The influence of humic acid (HA) on Ni(II) sorption to Ca-montmorillonite was examined by using a combination of batch sorption experiments and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy technique. The sorption of Ni(II) on HA-montmorillonite hybrids is strongly dependent on pH and temperature. At low pH, the sorption of Ni(II) is mainly dominated by Ni-HA-montmorillonite and...

A magnesium hydroxide-montmorillonite complex prepared at an OH/Mg molar ratio of 2 (16 meq Mg/g clay) and immediately cleaned of any free Mg(OH)2 behaves like magnesium-chlorite and shows no change during 3 months ageing. Magnesium hydroxide completely precipitates within the interlayer space of montmorillonite. X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal (DTA and TGA) studies, i.r. absorption analysi...

BACKGROUND Metalloporphyrin ions, with planar shape, have been known to intercalate horizontally and diagonally between montmorillonite layers. Perpendicular intercalation inside montmorillonite has not been reported earlier. This work aims at achieving perpendicular intercalation inside montmorillonite in natural clays. Possible intercalation inside other forms of natural clay will also be inv...

Animal feeding studies have demonstrated that clay additives, such as bentonites, can bind aflatoxins in ingested feed and reduce or eliminate the toxicity. Bentonite deposits are found throughout the world and mostly consist of expandable smectite minerals, such as montmorillonite. The surfaces of smectite minerals can be treated with organic compounds to create surface-modified clays that mor...

Hydrous amorphous Al (HAO), Fe (HFO), and Mn (HMO) oxides are ubiquitous in the subsurface as both discrete particles and coatings and exhibit a high affinity for heavy metal contaminants. To assess risks associated with heavy metals, such as Pb, to the surrounding environment and manage remedial activities requires accurate mechanistic models with well-defined transport parameters that represe...

The self-assembly of low molecular weight gelators confined within the nano-scale interlayer space of organo-montmorillonite is likely to be different from that under normal conditions (bulk space). Four kinds of gelators, 1-methyl-2,4-bis(N'-n-octadecylureido) benzene (MBB18), 1-methyl-2,4-bis(N'-n-dodecylureido)benzene (MBB12), bis(4'-stearamido phenyl) methane (BSM18) and bis(4'-octanamido p...

Surface modification of clay minerals has become increasingly important for optimizing the practical application of bentonites, kaolins, and clays. We describe the reaction of montmorillonite, an important mineral in bentonites, with cationic poly(ethylene oxides). Poly(ethylene oxides), PEOs, with molecular masses between 1550 and 35000, were modified by substituting the OH end groups by bromi...

Adsorption of quinoline (pKa 5 4.92) and background electrolyte (CaCl2) onto specimen kaolinite and montmorillonite were measured as a function of pH (3–7.5) and ionic strength (1–10 mM), and as a function of quinoline concentration (0.2–1.55 mM) at fixed pH values of maximum adsorption. Maximum sorption of quinoline occurred at pH 3.5–4.0 for kaolinite, and pH 3.0–5.0 for montmorillonite. At t...