Removal of Pesticides from Water by Using Adsorbent Column of Modified Clays

The study assesses the removal of seven pesticides (alachlor, metolachlor, chlorpyriphos, fipronil, α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, p,p’ -DDT) and two metabolites (p,p’-DDE, endosulfan sulphate) from water using columns packed with three organoclays (nano-montmorillonite modified with octadecylamine, nano-montmorillonite modified with dimethyl dialkyl amine and nano-montmorillonite modified with octadecylamine and aminopropyltriethoxysilane). The breakthrough curves showed that alachlor, metolachlor and fipronil were poorly adsorbed on clays in column whereas α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, p,p’ -DDE, endosulfan sulphate moderately adsorbed and chlorpyriphos, p,p’ -DDT strongly adsorbed. Among the adsorbent clays used in the study, nano-montmorillonite modified with octadecylamine and aminopropyltriethoxysilane showed highest removal for tested pesticides as compared to other clays. The quantitative removal of these pesticides from natural and fortified natural water, also confirmed the applicability of the method.