Mixture of palygorskite and montmorillonite (Paly-Mont) and its adsorptive application for mycotoxins

Abstract Fuller's earth is a general term to refer to clays or earthy material that are suitable for bleaching and sorptive uses and it could include attapulgite, sepiolite, and smectite clays that have natural bleaching and/or sorptive capabilities. Paly-Mont refers specifically to a natural mixture of montmorillonite and palygorskite minerals that has sorptive property. Compared to other industrial minerals, palygorskite clay is very rare in nature. However, Paly-Mont is even rarer. The comparison of the basic structure of montmorillonite, palygorskite and their mixture Paly-Mont is that montmorillonite has platy structure and palygorskite has needle shaped structure. Paly-Mont is in between. Paly-Mont can be processed to bleaching clay using low dosage acid. It is also an excellent source clay for mycotoxin binder. After dispersion, Paly-Mont shows clearly base montmorillonite structure and the palygorskite needles above the base structure. It is this unique structure that may help for this special mixture to have high absorption to mycotoxins and at same time to have much lower nutrients to be adsorbed compared to montmorillonite.