Clays and clay minerals for pollution control

Abstract

Clay minerals are abundant, inexpensive, and generally safe materials for environmental applications. Because of their large specific surface area, high porosity, surface charge, and surface functional groups, clay minerals function as adsorbents, filters, flocculates, and carbon stabilizers. Further, the surfaces of clay minerals can be modified from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, for example, making them good adsorbents and carriers of non-ionic organic compounds. This chapter summarizes the processes, mechanisms, and applications of clay minerals in the adsorption, removal, and stabilization of natural organic matter, heavy metal contaminants, organic and biological cations, and non-ionic organic compounds. It may serve as a research resource or as a graduate level reading for students in environmental, agricultural, and materials sciences. © 2013, Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.