Sorption Behavior of Ofloxacin to Kaolinite: Effects of pH, Ionic Strength, and Cu(II)

Sorption of antibiotics to clay minerals is a key process controlling their transport and fate in environment. In this study, the effects of pH, ionic strength, and Cu(II) on ofloxacin (OFL) sorption to kaolinite were investigated by batch sorption experiments. The results of sorption edge experiments suggested that OFL sorption to kaolinite was pH and ionic strength dependent. Cation exchange was a major contributor to the sorption of OFL+ to kaolinite. The decreased OFL sorption with increasing ionic strength indicated the formation of outer-sphere complexation. When solution pH was lower than 7.0, Cu-OFL complexes facilitated OFL sorption through electrostatic attraction or formation of kaolinite-Cu-OFL and kaolinite-OFL-Cu ternary surface complexes. However, existence of free Cu(II) cation in solution competed for sorption sites, and thus suppressed OFL sorption. When solution pH was higher than 7.0, Cu(II) existed as Cu(OH)(2), and the Cu-OFL complexes in aqueous phase and solid phase (precipitation) enhanced OFL removal efficiency from solution. The results imply that Cu(II) effects should be taken into account in the evaluation of OFL mobility in environment.