Sorption of endrin to montmorillonite and kaolinite clays

It has been discovered previously that clay minerals may have a greater potential for sorption of pesticides. In this paper, the sorption of endrin, a nonionic persistent organochlorine pesticide, to montmorillonite and kaolinite was investigated. The effect of pH, ionic strength on the sorption was studied. The effect of intercalation of hydroxyl aluminium species on sorption of endrin to montmorillonite was also investigated. The results show that, the sorption isotherm of endrin to montmorillonite and kaolinite was linear. The sorption increases with the increase in ionic strength. pH has effect on the sorption and the sorption on both montmorillonite and kaolinite has obvious troughs at pH about 7.2 and 5.4, respectively. The intercalation of hydroxyl aluminium species decreases the sorption. Sorption mechanism of endrin to montmorillonite and kaolinite was suggested to be a combination of hydrophobic interaction and charge–dipole interaction and troughs in the effect of pH on sorption was attributed to the proton shift reaction of the broken bonds at the clay edges.