The use of smectites from the region of Franca, SP as adsorbents of petrochemical products

Abstract

Organophilic clays can be used for the adsorption of toxic compounds to avoid environmental contamination. This work shows the laboratory methods tested for changing natural polycationic smectites from Franca region, northeast of São Paulo State, to the sodium form and, subsequently, in organophilic clays. Gasoline, fuel alcohol, kerosene and fuel oil were the organic compounds used in the preliminary swelling/adsorption tests. The basal spacing expansions observed by X-Ray Diffraction have indicated that smectites from Franca were sucessfully obtained in the organophilic form. Keywords: smectites, organophilic clays, adsorption, petrochemical compounds.