Adsorption of berberine on commercial minerals

There is interest in studying interactions between organic modifiers and raw commercial clays aiming the production of low-cost “organoclays”. In this study we report the interaction between berberine — a monovalent organic cation — and three commercial bentonites and a Turkish zeolite. The Turkish zeolite exhibited adsorption at values of 5–10% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) with no neutralization of the particles. Adsorption of the organo-cation on Egyptian bentonite, Volclay KWK and Pure-Flo B80, was above the CEC of the bentonites, yielding neutral and even slightly positively charged particles. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction results showed expansion of the basal spacing of the smectite. Such low-cost organo-bentonites might be suitable for environmental applications as removal of pollutants, drug and pesticides delivery, or water treatment. Application in turbidity reduction of industrial effluents is demonstrated.