Removal of priority and emerging pollutants from aqueous media by adsorption onto synthetic organo-funtionalized high-charge swelling micas

The influence of the aqueous sample pH, salt addition and extraction time in the removal were evaluated. The results showed the high adsorption affinity of C18-Mica-4 for most of the emerging pollutants analysed after a removal time of 24 h (14 out of 18 pollutants were effectively removed [70-100%]). A high correlation was observed between the log Kow of the selected emerging pollutants and the adsorption onto C18-Mica-4. The results also indicate that adsorption occurs in the interlayer space. While the removal rates with Na-Mica-4 were in the range 8-97% after seven days, some of the compounds, perfluorobutanoic acid and most of pharmaceutically active compounds, were not adsorbed onto the high-charge mica. C18-Mica− 4 was effectively used for the removal of contaminants from four types of water samples.