Benzoic acid, a commonly used food preservative, is known to inhibit growth of bacteria and plants. Entering the environment primarily through waste water treatment plants, benzoic acid is diluted to low concentrations, and introduced into natural water supplies.  Through soil contact with released waste water, benzoic acid can become adsorbed to, and stabilized by soils, which provide a barrier to natural decomposition pathways.  Here, we present in-situ analysis, through variable temperature diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (VT-DRIFTS) in combination with thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS), of benzoic acid adsorbed onto montmorillonite clays of varying %(w/w) to determine specific benzoic acid-clay interactions. With our presented results, we wish to elucidate the molecular-level interactions between benzoic acid and montmorillonite clays in an effort to contribute to and explain findings previously published by other research groups.

Infrared studies of benzoic acid interactions with montmorillonite clay

248th National Meeting (2014)

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