Adsorption of octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride and adsolubilization on to cellulosic fibers

The coadsorption of different organic solutes on cellulosic fibers treated with octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (ODTMA) has been studied. In the absence of ODTMA cellulosic fibers had little tendency to retain organic compounds. The enhanced solute incorporation was ascribed to the adsolubilization of these compounds on the aggregated domains of the adsorbed surfactant molecules at the solid/liquid interface. The specific shape of solute coadsorption isotherms indicated that the adsolubilization process may be regarded as a partition phenomenon between the aqueous bulk phase and the adsorbed surfactant aggregates. The decrease in solute uptake at the cellulose/water interface above the CMC of ODTMA was ascribed to micelle formation in the bulk solution and to the ensuing micellar solubilization of organic solutes. Preliminary experiments performed using vertical fixed bed columns showed that modified cellulosic fibers can be conveniently used as substrate for treating organic pollutants.