Evaluation of natural sepiolite clay as adsorbents for aflatoxin B1: A comparative study

Sepiolite (Sep) has been widely used as adsorbents to adsorb various contaminants, owing to its low cost, abundant reserve, and high adsorption capacity. However, the comparative study about the effect of source of Sep on the adsorption properties remains a gap to be filled. Herein, a comparative study about the effect of source of Sep on the adsorption of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was performed. Three Sep samples from Henan, Hunan and Hebei Provinces of China were selected as adsorbents for adsorbing AFB1. The adsorption capacity of Sep from Henan was higher than other samples. The presence of montmorillonite in Sep from Henan plays an important role in adsorption of AFB1, owing to ion-dipole interactions between AFB1 molecules and montmorillonite. The adsorption equilibrium data conform to Freundlich model. Kinetic of AFB1 adsorption follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic. The AFB1 molecules not only cover the surface of the rods but also enter the channels.