Abstract
Clay materials of the quarry of Bingerville (district of Abidjan) have been characterized by chemical analysis, X-rays diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis. These materials contain kaolinite (41% - 84%), illite (4% - 10%), quartz (14% - 27%), goethite (2% - 5%) and small amount of rutile (1%) that are not toxic minerals. They also contain some heavy metals which are beneficial to human biological activity (cobalt, copper, molybdenum, zinc) in tiny quantities. Some other heavy metals (lead, cadmium) which are considered as poisonous for human are present in very low content. The samples characterized by relatively fine grains are moderately crystallized. Their specific surface area varied from 26 to 43 m2·g—1. The mineralogical and physicochemical characteristics of these samples are like ones known for their healing properties. The consumption by internal way of studied materials, although it may be beneficial, requires a sifting to remove coarse grains (Φ > 2 μm) and a previous microbiological control.
Highlights
Clay materials are natural products widely used in various domains including construction, ceramics [1], paper [2], breeding [3], pharmaceuticals [4] [5], etc
X-ray powder diagrams (Figure 1(a)) showed that samples were mainly composed of kaolinite (7.15 Å and 3.58 Å), illite (9.95 Å and 4.97 Å), goethite (4.15 Å) and quartz (4.25 Å and 3.34 Å)
In the 600 - 1200 cm−1 range of the infrared spectra (Figure 2(a)), the bands observed at 754 and 792 cm−1 are specific to clays from the kaolinite family and are assigned to OH bending toward the surface of the clay sheet [16] [17]
Summary
Clay materials are natural products widely used in various domains including construction, ceramics [1], paper [2], breeding [3], pharmaceuticals [4] [5], etc. Recent investigations showed the antibacterial and bactericidal properties of some clay, based on experiments carried out by [9]-[13], showing the ability to kill a broad spectrum of pathogenic bacteria. One of these bacteria is Mycobacterium ulcerans which causes skin chronic disorder named Buruli ulcer, mostly endemic to central and western Africa. Treated with special clay of bentonite type, the skin lesions or wounds became gradually less acute due to skin tissue regeneration
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