Texture profile analysis (TPA) of clay/seawater mixtures useful for peloid preparation: Effects of clay concentration, pH and salinity

The liquid phase of a peloid can be mineral-medicinal, marine or salt lake water. This study was designed to experimentally determine the interaction between two bentonites and one sepiolite, and seawater as well as dilutions thereof to verify the effect of salinity on instrumental texture measurements in clay-water mixtures prepared with these components. In all the clay-water mixtures tested, instrumental hardness and adhesiveness decreased with water content. For a given instrumental hardness or adhesiveness, bentonite retained more water in the mixture with distilled water than with seawater. In contrast, sepiolite retained more water in the mixture with seawater than with distilled water. These differences affected the thermal behaviour of the clay-water mixtures. Instrumental hardness and adhesiveness curves may be a suitable tool to tailor concentrated dispersions and after maturation could be used in thalassos and medical spas as peloids.