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Journal of Catalyst & Catalysis

Organophilicization of Bentonite by HDTMA+ and TMPA+ Cations for Sorption of 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in Aqueous Solution

  1. Onwuka K. E.
  2. Igwe J. C.
  3. Enenwa N. E.
  4. Obike A. I.

Abstract

Bentonite (Bt) was converted to organoclays by intercalation of cationic surfactants into its interlayer space. Two types of organoclays were synthesized from HDTMA and TMPA at 100% CEC, and the adsorbents were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM. The adsorption capacities of Bt and the organoclays for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophrnol (2,4-DCP) from aqueous solutions were tested under different conditions. Two adsorption isotherm models (Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms) were used to determine the best fit model and the Freundlich isotherm gave the best fit to the experimental data. The kinetics of the adsorption process was also investigated by subjecting the experimental data to the Pseudo first and Pseudo second order kinetic models, with pseudo second order kinetic model giving the best fit. The effect of temperature variations on the adsorption of 2,4-DCP by the adsorbents confirmed that the process is exothermic. Overall, the adsorption capacity of the organoclays was significantly improved by intercalation with large surfactant molecules as the intercalation with large surfactant molecules created the partitioning phase, which strongly attracted large amounts of organic pollutants. Possible mechanisms and the implications of the results for the use of these organoclays as adsorbents for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenols in aqueous solution were discussed.

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