Natural Clay Minerals as Environmental Cleaning Agents

Abstract

Clays and clay minerals are very important industrial minerals; they have been in use as raw materials for hundreds of industrial applications due to its abundant availability and inexpensive. Clay minerals are usually classified according to its structure and layer type. The classification of Grim becomes the basis for outlining the nomenclature and the differences between the various clay minerals. A simple classification of clay minerals also available in the literatures, in this classification clay mineral divided into four main groups: kaolinite group, illite group, smectite group, and vermiculite. Clay minerals play important role in the environment protection. These minerals have been used in the disposal and storage of hazardous chemicals as well as for remediation of polluted water. The use of clay minerals as the adsorbent s for the adsorption of various hazardous substances (heavy metals, dyes, antibiotics, biocide compounds, and other organic chemicals) has been widely studied by a large number of researchers. Some important information about current studies is given and discussed in this chapter.