Interaction of aminotriazole with montmorillonite and Mg-vermiculite at pH 4

The interaction of aminotriazole (AMT) al pH 4 on Wyoming monimorillunite (mainly with Na ions) and Mg-vermiculite has been studied by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The AMT is adsorbed on montmorillonite in the cationic form by cation exchange. The amount of pesticide adsorbed was 71 mEq/100 g, which comprises ∼91% of the CEC of this sample (78.2 mEq/100 g). Saturation was reached in 24 h, giving rise to a complex with basal spacing 12.5 Å. Vermiculite adsorbs 167 mEq/100 g, almost 20% greater than the CEC (141 mEq/100 g). and the basal spacing was stabilited at 13.68 Å after five weeks of treatment with AMT. A part of the AMT is adsorbed in cationic form, displacing a great pan of the exchangeable Mg2+ cations. The rest is adsorbed in molecular form by coordination to the Mg2+ cations which remain in the interlamellar space, removing a great amount of water, and remaining in the interlamellur space of vermiculite after wushing with water, probably because of a steric hindrance from the AMT cations adsorbed.Peer Reviewe