Sorption Properties of Bentonite-Based Organoclays with Amphoteric and Nonionic Surfactants in Relation to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a major scientific challenge due to their profound impact on public and environmental health. Therefore, studying ways to detoxify PAHs is important. In this research, the adsorption ability of bentonite modified with five surfactants, including amphoteric (cocoamphodiacetate disodium and sodium cocoiminodipropionate) and nonionic (lauramine oxide, cocamide diethanolamine, and alkylpolyglucoside) substances for the adsorption of high-molecular benzo(a)pyrene and low-molecular naphthalene from the PAH group was studied. The bentonite and bentonite-based organoclays were characterized using X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the maximum adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene by organoclays increased compared with the initial mineral. The adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene is higher than that of naphthalene. The adsorption process of benzo(a)pyrene by bentonite and organoclays is predominantly monolayer, as it is better described by the Langmuir model (R2 0.77–0.98), while naphthalene is predominantly multilayer, described by the Freundlich model (R2 0.86–0.96). According to the effectiveness of sorption capacities of organoclays—including the degree of sorption, Langmuir and Freundlich constants, the value of maximum adsorption, Gibbs free energy, and the index of favorability of the adsorption process—the most effective modification was found. For the adsorption of benzo(a)pyrene the best was cocoamphodiacetate disodium, and for naphthalene it was sodium cocoiminodipropionate.