Adsorption of berberine on commercial minerals

• Published in: Applied clay science Vol. 51; no. 1-2; pp. 43 - 50
• Main Authors: Rytwo, Giora, Varman, Hilla, Bluvshtein, Nir, König, Tom N., Mendelovits, Asaf, Sandler, Amir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.01.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Bentonite; Berberine; Cations; Charged particles; Clay minerals; Clay mineral–organic interactions; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Mineralogy; Reduction; Silicates; Turbidity; Zeolite; Zeolites; CEC; SWy-2; Berberine; Clay mineral–organic interactions; TZ; XRD; Zeolite; BER; NTU; UV–Vis; Adsorption; Bentonite; VO; SEM; EB; turbidity; cation exchange capacity; X-ray diffraction; effluents; exhibits; Clay mineral-organic interactions; water treatment; pesticides; sheet silicates; silicates; electron microscopy; framework silicates; particles; adsorption; cations; cost; neutralization; pollutants; expansion; smectite; zeolite; clay minerals; reduction
• ISSN: 0169-1317; 1872-9053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2010.10.031

There is interest in studying interactions between organic modifiers and raw commercial clays aiming the production of low-cost “organoclays”. In this study we report the interaction between berberine — a monovalent organic cation — and three commercial bentonites and a Turkish zeolite. The Turkish zeolite exhibited adsorption at values of 5–10% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) with no neutralization of the particles. Adsorption of the organo-cation on Egyptian bentonite, Volclay KWK and Pure-Flo B80, was above the CEC of the bentonites, yielding neutral and even slightly positively charged particles. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results showed expansion of the basal spacing of the smectite. Such low-cost organo-bentonites might be suitable for environmental applications as removal of pollutants, drug and pesticides delivery, or water treatment. Application in turbidity reduction of industrial effluents is demonstrated. ►Sorption of organic modifiers on commercial clays may yield low-cost organoclays ►Interactions between berberine and four different commercial minerals are presented ►In three clay minerals the negative charge was reversed at high amounts of berberine ►Adsorption isotherm types can be related to the smectitic content in the minerals. ►Commercial organoclays might be efficiently used for wastewater pretreatment