Coadsorption of ciprofloxacin and Cu(II) on montmorillonite and kaolinite as affected by solution pH.

The coadsorption of ciprofloxacin (Cip) and Cu(II) on montmorillonite and kaolinite was studied between pH 4.0 and 9.5. At pH < 5.0, Cu(2+), Cip(+) and Cu(II)(Cip(+/-)) were the main species in solution. Between pH 5.0-7.0 Cu(II)(Cip(+/-)) was the dominant complex species. Above pH 8.0 Cu(II)(Cip(-))(2) precipitated. The presence of Cu(II) exerted no effect on the Cip sorption onto montmorillonite at low pH, whereas it increased Cip sorption on montmorillonite at pH > 6.0 due to the stronger affinity of Cip-Cu(II) complexes compared to sole Cip(-) or Cip(+/-), or Cip sorption via a Cu(II) bridge increased. In contrast, Cip increased Cu(II) adsorption on montmorillonite at pH < 7.0, whereas it decreased the adsorption of Cu(II) on kaolinite at pH 6.0-8.0. Cip was sorbed onto the kaolinite surface via interaction of carboxyl groups over the entire pH range. At pH 4.0-4.7, Cip(+) sorption onto kaolinite's positively charged surface was more favorable than sorption of Cip-Cu(II) complexes. Batch experiments and FTIR analyses indicated that the coordination between Cip(+/-), Cip(-) and Cu(II) were most likely present on kaolinite surface at pH 7.0. At pH > 8.0, Cu(OH)(2) (s) and Cu(II)(Cip(-))(2) precipitated out of solution or on the montmorillonite or kaolinite surface, which was not considered evidence for either the sorption of Cip or the adsorption of Cu(II).