Charged clays: An environmental solution

Abstract This article canvasses a relatively simple solution to a range of environmental problems that includes the escape of fertilizer elements from agricultural land, terrestrial and aquatic pollution caused by effluents from feedlots, abattoirs, sewage treatment plants, mine sites, etc., and toxicity in drinking water obtained from inappropriate sources. The common denominator linking these problems is the movement of chemical species in ionic (electrically charged) form across biological and non-biological phases, with the receptor phase unable to adsorb the consequences of the transfer. Negatively and positively charged ions can be attracted to positively and negatively charged substrates, thereby being held in exchangeable form for ease of manipulation. It is proposed that substrates for the control of distribution and movement of ions in the environment be charged clay materials sourced from inexpensive deposits.