The association of organic molecules with clay minerals in aqueous solutions

The uptake of dissolved organic molecules by kaolinite and montomorillonite clay minerals was measured in distilled water and saltwater solutions. Glucose and valine exhibited low affinities for both clay minerals over a wide range of concentrations in distilled water and seawater solutions. Stearic acid was efficiently removed by both clay minerals from all solutions over the concentration range 10–1000 ppb. These experiments suggest that some dissolved organic molecules may be preferentially removed by clay minerals in natural waters. It is unlikely, however, that the partitioning of simple organic molecules between natural waters and suspended clay minerals could produce the high concentrations of organic matter that occur in most fine-grained sediments.