Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Uzochukwu Ugochukwu Ugochukwu, Professor David ManningORCiD, Dr Claire Fialips
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Cation exchange capacity, surface acidity and specific surface area are surface properties of clay minerals that make them act as catalysts or supports in most biogeochemical processes hence making them play important roles in environmental control. However, the role of homoionic clay minerals during the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic compounds is not well reported. In this study, the effect of interlayer cations of montmorillonites in the removal of some crude oil polycyclic aromatic compounds during biodegradation was investigated in aqueous clay/oil microcosm experiments with a hydrocarbon degrading microorganism community. The homoionic montmorillonites were prepared via cation exchange reactions by treating the unmodified montmorillonite with the relevant metallic chloride. The study indicated that potassium-montmorillonite and zinc-montmorillonite did not enhance the biodegradation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons whereas calcium-montmorillonite, and ferric-montmorillonite enhanced their biodegradation significantly. Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was significant during biodegradation with potassium- and zinc-montmorillonite where there was about 45% removal of the polycyclic aromatic compounds by adsorption in the experimental microcosm containing 5:1 ratio (w/w) of clay to oil. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Author(s): Ugochukwu UC, Manning DAC, Fialips CI
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Environmental Management
Year: 2014
Volume: 142
Pages: 30-35
Print publication date: 08/05/2014
ISSN (print): 0301-4797
ISSN (electronic): 1095-8630
Publisher: Academic Press
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.03.018
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.03.018
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
