Adsorption of phenol and its chlorine derivatives on PILCS and organo-PILCS

Modification of smectite by highly charged inorganic polycations gives a ty pe of materials called Pillared Clays (PILCS). These materials are also pot ential candidates for sorbents of compounds of agricultural interest, or of pollutants molecules in wastewater treatment. Modified PILCS by the cation ic surfactant (BTDDMAC) or by its polar head, the benzyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (BTMAC), are used as sorbent supports for phenol and its chlorine derivatives, as pollutants molecules. The adsorption results of these orga nic molecules are compared to there adsorption on non treated PILCS. Genera lly, the organophilic nature of PILCS increases the adsorption of chlorophe nols. The adsorption properties of phenol are considerably improved on BTMA C treated PILCS.