Adsorption of Surfactant on Clays

Abstract

ABSTRACT Surfactants used to enhance remediation of soils by soil washing are often lost in the process. Neither the amount nor the cause of this loss is known. It is assumed that clays present in the soil are responsible for the loss of the surfactant. In this paper, adsorption properties of the nonionic surfactant Tergitol 15-S-7 on clays are presented. Of the clays used, montmorillonite not only sorbed the largest quantity of Tergitol 15-S-7 but also held it most strongly.