Modified clays for adsorbing organic contaminants
Supervisor:
Dr Gary Owens, Future Fellow – Mawson Institute, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
Phone: +61 8 8302 5043. Email: gary.owens@unisa.edu.au
Area: Environmental Science/Materials Science
Suitable for: PhD and Masters
Abstract:
Extensive research has previously been conducted, by numerous researchers worldwide, to
develop effective and inexpensive adsorbent materials for the remediation of environmental
organic contaminants. While bentonite has been commonly used for binding heavy metal
contaminates relative little work has examined the binding properties of bentonites and other
clays for organic compounds. This project will examine the binding properties and potential for
bentonite type clays to be used either as a remediation agent for the removal or organic
contaminates from waste streams or as a slow release delivery system for organic compounds
of interest in the cosmetics and health industry. In the cosmetics industry clays are more
commonly used in facials or added to body powders and soaps were they are primarily added
for the ability to add creaminess if the clay is soft and fine or pigment if the clay is coloured. It
should be possible to enhance the utility of clays for cosmetic amendments if it can be shown
to bind, or modified to bind, organic compounds of cosmetic interest such as Vitamin A. The
practical applications for clay technologies could include either 1) waste water treatment for
the clean-up of waste stream or 2) incorporation into cosmetic products to deliver organic
nutrients in a dermal application.
Related references:
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Liang-guo Yan, Xiao-quan Shan, Bei Wen and Gary Owens (2008) Adsorption of cadmium onto Al13pillared acid-activated montmorillonite, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 156(1-3), 499-508.
Lo, R. Mak and S. Lee (1997) Modified Clays for Waste Containment and Pollutant Attenuation, J. Environ.
Eng., 123(1), 25–32.
Richard C. Zielke and Thomas J. Pinnavaia, (1988) Modified clays for the adsorption of environmental
contaminats: Binding of chlorophenols to pillared, delminated, and hydroy-intercalated smectites., Clays
and Clay Minerals, 36 (5), 403-408.
About Adelaide:
Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and offers a very high standard of living (top 6 in the
world according to “The Economist”), with great climate, food, wine, beautiful unspoiled
nature and beach environments, in an inexpensive setting.
The Mawson Institute (MI) has recently been established at the University of South Australia,
with strong support from the South Australian Government to research new manufacturing
technologies. Manufacturing is an important and substantial part of South Australia’s
economic base. The MI promotes a strategy based upon strong basic and applied research
that encourages scientific and technological innovation within the manufacturing sector.
Fundamental to this is the Institute’s multidisciplinary approach, building research teams in
concentrations that encompass a diverse range of disciplines, and collaboration with partners
from both academia and industry.
The institute is based in two new state-of-the-art buildings with outstanding research facilities
(see photo of the MM building).
For more information on this project please contact the supervisor.