Adsorption of difenzoquat on montmorillonite: model calculations and increase in hydrophobicity

The adsorption of difenzoquat (DZ) on montmorillonite was studied at a wide range of concentrations and ionic strengths. Up to difenzoquat loadings of 0.4 mmol/g clay, all the added cation were adsorbed. Maximal adsorbed amounts exceeded slightly the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the clay (0.8 molc/kg). The adsorbed amounts did not change upon increasing the concentration of NaCl in the medium to 500 mM. An adsorption model that combines electrostatic equations with specific binding in a closed system could adequately predict the adsorbed amounts of DZ, even at high ionic strength. Simultaneous adsorption of the divalent cationic herbicide diquat (DQ) and DZ was also determined and the predictions of the model were adequate for total loadings up to the CEC of the clay. At higher loads the model adequately predicts the DZ adsorbed, but underestimates the amounts of DQ adsorbed. The influence of adsorbed DZ on the hydrophobicity of montmorillonite was tested by using the hydrophobic herbicide pendimethalin (PM). The adsorption isotherm of PM on crude montmorillonite is of the S type, indicating very low adsorption at low added amounts, and increasing affinity after part of the surface is covered with the hydrophobic molecules. Adsorption of PM on montmorillonite saturated with DZ up to 80% of the CEC showed a C behavior, indicating a partition mechanism between the solvent and the adsorbent even at low added amounts. The enhanced hydrophobicity of DZ–montmorillonite was also demonstrated in qualitative experiments in a mixed chloroform–water environment: whereas the crude clay mineral stayed in the water phase, DZ–montmorillonite concentrated in the chloroform phase.