Comparison of Associations of Different Hydrocarbons with Clay Particles in Simulated Seawater

Some aspects of the association of hydrocarbons and smectite clay in simulated seawater were investigated using NaCl solutions in laboratory experiments. Both n-eicosane and n-eicosene displayed identical association behaviors with this clay. Association increased linearly with increasing hydrocarbon concentration in water. The amount of n-alkane associated with smectite increased with carbon chain length from C17 to C28, reaching a maximum of 70% removal from water. This may be due to decreased accommodation in water as hydrocarbon chain length becomes larger. The level of association of aromatic hydrocarbons was generally low, and isoalkanes were more effectively removed from water than n-alkanes of the same number of carbons. © 1978, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Author Terrence Gilbert Oas Biochemistry