Antibacterial activity of palygorskite, sepiolite and modified forms thereof
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Date
2025-07-15
Authors
Μαυρίκος, Αριστόδημος
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Abstract
This study explores the antibacterial efficacy of natural clay minerals palygorskite and sepiolite and their modified forms in the removal of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis from synthetic wastewater. Thermally treated palygorskite (TP) demonstrated superior adsorption properties, attributed to increased surface area and porosity as revealed by BET analysis. Batch kinetic experiments showed maximum E. coli removal (~69%) using 1g of TP for 40 minutes stirring, while fixed-bed reactor configurations achieved up to 99.1% removal efficiency for E. coli and 98.1% for E. faecalis, particularly in a selected column arrangement. Reusability tests indicated a decline in adsorption efficiency over repeated cycles, highlighting the saturation and micropore clogging as limiting factors. Comparatively, palygorskite outperformed sepiolite, especially at lower dosages, due to better dispersion and interaction with bacteria. The study confirms the potential of thermally treated clay minerals as sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical disinfectants in wastewater treatment. Their regeneration via dry heat sterilization offers practical advantages for repeated use. Overall, the research contributes to advancing eco-friendly water disinfection technologies that align with global efforts toward safer, more sustainable water management.
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Keywords
Bacterial adsorbent, Wastewater disinfection, Clay minerals, Reusability test