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Organic Compound Effects on Swelling and Flocculation of Upton Montmorillonite
Author(s) -
Chen Shizheng,
Low Philip F.,
Cushman John H.,
Roth Charles B.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1987.03615995005100060009x
Subject(s) - swelling , flocculation , chemistry , montmorillonite , phenol , urea , ethylamine , sodium , acetic acid , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , engineering
The swelling and shrinking and flocculation and deflocculation of clays is of fundamental importance in the transport of solutes through a porous medium because these processes affect the permeability of the medium. Since organic solutes frequently occur in toxic wastes, we conducted an investigation of the effect of eight soluble organic compounds, representing different kinds of structures and functional groups, on the swelling and flocculation of sodium saturated Upton montmorillonite. These compounds were ethanol, 1,4‐dioxane, phenol, urea, benzamide, ethylamine hydrochloride, acetic acid, and sodium acetate. In general, we found that increases in the concentration of the compounds that ionize in water decreased swelling and increased flocculation to a greater extent than those that remained un‐ionized, i.e., electrically neutral. However, 1,4‐dioxane was exceptional in that, despite its electrical neutrality, it reduced swelling and increased flocculation significantly. Possible reasons for the effects of the different compounds on swelling and flocculation were advanced.