Removal of detergents and fats from waste water using allophane

Micelles, consisting of an anionic surfactant and a fatty acid released from fat, were removed from an aqueous phase using the ion exchange characteristics of a natural clay mineral, allophane. The UV spectral measurements revealed that the concentrations of the anionic surfactant and the fatty acid in the aqueous phase decreased and that these species were removed from the aqueous phase. The adsorption of the surfactant and the fatty acid onto the allophane was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Furthermore, this adsorption was confirmed by the adsorption of anthracene added as a probe molecule.