What's the differences between montmorillonite, zeolite, clinoptilolite ?

Montmorillonite

Montmorillonite also known as microcrystalline kaolinite, is a kind of aluminosilicate, is a layered structure, flaky crystalline silicate clay mineral, which was originally found in France because of their Monte-named city. It’s an OTC antidiarrheal medicine. Clinical practice is applicable to adults and children and chronic diarrhea.

The definition of montmorillonite is not unified, so that montmorillonite product has various interpretations. About montmorillonite definition has two, one is montmorillonite definition in non-metallic mineral: that is montmorillonite content in clay mineral is more than 80%, named montmorillonite, for example, montmorillonite desiccant etc, its test method of montmorillonite content is qualitative and quantitative of Methylene blue adsorbed, its grade is actually high purity bentonite, montmorillonite is main factor in bentonite, but bentonite is not montmorillonite, montmorillonite is not bentonite, either, montmorilllonite need to be purified from bentonite, montmorillonite content decide bentonite’s function in different areas. Another definition is montmorillonite demand in pharmaceutical and cosmetics etc field, its concept is close to montmorillonite definition in scientific research field, its test method of montmorillonite content is mainly qualitative and quantitative of XRD. In order to distinguish with non-metal mineral, usually named as dioctahedral smectite.

Chinese Name: 蒙脱石 （十六角蒙脱石）

English Name: Montmorillonite(dioctahedral smectite), HSCAS

Other name: microcrystalline kaolinite

Category: Aluminosilicate

Chemical formula: (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2[Si4O10](OH)2·nH2O

Color: White, pink, yellowish, green etc. 

Crystal system: Monoclinic system

Chemical structure: Ex(H2O)4｛(Al2-x,Mgx)2［(Si,Al)4O10］(OH)2｝

Main usage:Natural mycotoxin binder and anti-diarrhea product

Physical and Chemical Properties

Here E is the exchangeable cationic type between layer, mainly including Na+, Ca2+ and also K+, Li+, etc.. X is the layer charge of unit chemical formula when E is monovalent cation. It is usually between 0.2 and 0.6, with laminated-structure and irregular flaky crystal. Mohs hardness is 2～2.5, specific gravity is 2～2.7, and bulk density is 1-1.1g/mL. It has strong adsorptive power and ion exchange capacity.

Montmorillonite possess ion-exchange property, mainly such positive ion as Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Li+, H+, Al3+, etc. The exchange is invertible. In the medium whose pH value is 7, the exchange capacity of the positive ion is 70~140me/100g.

Montmorillonite has three kinds of water, which are free surface water, interlayer adsorbed water and lattice water. Montmorillonite is a strong-absorbent. It swelled after water absorption and the spacing of the undersurface of crystal lattice will increase. The crystal-axis CO can reach 1.84~2.14nm when it is in high degree of hydration. In water medium montmorillonite will disperse into colloidal state. Heating up montmorillonite, free water will soon be dehydrated. Adsorbed water will be dewatered at 100~200℃. And much lattice water will escape at 500℃.

Montmorillonite possesses electro-negativity, which has great influence oncolloidal properties and rheological properties. Electro-negativity mainly come from three aspects: crystal electrostatic charge formed by crystal lattice replacement and inner compensated replacement with each unit cell being 0.66; electronegativity produced by broken key; electronegativity formed by dissociation of octahedral sheet. 

Montmorillonite is 2:1 silicate minerals containing crystal water's, which comprise two layer total of top connected silicon-oxygen tetrahedron clipping a layer of edges connected aluminum (magnesium) oxygen (OH) octahedral sheet. Al3+ in octahedral of pillars structure was replaced by Mg3+, Fe3+, Fe2+, etc., that results in octahedral distortion and then force the tetrahedral sheet to make rotation, elongation, contorted and other forms to adjust, until the bonds is broken, the polyhedron core cation is exposed, and different strength permanent negative charge between the layers is appeared. Accordingly negatively charged adsorption characteristics come into being.

This special micro-crystal structure determines that montmorillonite is highly dispersive, suspensible, swelling, cohesive, absorbable, cation exchangeable, etc. The result of Loran PRR of diffraction instrument shows that it is Natural-Nano.

Montmorillonite has very strong interlayer ion exchange, position and adsorption capacity, which can beamedly adsorb pathogenic bacteria with particle coding protein(CS31A) and the pathogenicity of the toxins produced by pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus toxin, Zearalenone, mold pathogens, and fixed them to lose their pathogenicity. Then the pathogenic bacteria is excreted with the peristalsis so as to avoid mucosal damage, repair the damaged bridge between the intestinal cells and inhibit the secretion of intestinal cells of excessive penetration to achieving the goal of Anti-diarrhea.

Application of montmorillonite in feed

Montmorillonite application in feed has mycotoxins removal, anti-diarrhea etc functions, safe and green.

Functions of Montmorillonite

Montmorillonite has very strong interlayer ion exchange, position and adsorption capacity, which can oriented adsorb pathogenic bacteria with particle coding protein(CS31A) and the pathogenicity of the toxins produced by pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus toxin, Zearalenone, mold pathogens, and fixed them to lose their pathogenicity. Then the pathogenic bacteria is excreted with the peristalsis so as to avoid mucosal damage.

After Purification, dispersion and modified process, end face of crystal of montmorillonite acquire rich positive charge, the surface of structure sheaf is still negative charge. So whole structural domain still keep bipolar charge characteristics, it can reduce pathologic damage of intestinal mucosa, repair the damaged bridge between the intestinal cells and inhibit the secretion of intestinal cells of excessive penetration to achieving the goal of Anti-diarrhea.

Soluble colloid with good gelling property(main elements: silicon, aluminum) can form a protective layer on the surface of intestinal mucosa, reduce stimulation to intestinal mucosa of pathogen or allergen, reduce the chace of mucosal injury and intestinal wall thicker, it is good to the adsorption of nutriments.

Selectively adsorb harmful bacteria and mycotoxin

Distributed with layer-line shape structure and non-uniformity electric charge, it has strong adsorption, fixation and restraining effect to virus, bug and their production of toxin and gas. And It has good adsorption in microbial secondary, such as aromatic compounds、ammonia、endotoxin. So It can maximum terminate the suppression of growth factors.

Protect and repair intestinal mucosa

Having strong protection and coverage ability to mucous membrane of the digestive tract, interacting mucus glycolproteins and increasing the cohesion of mucus gel, visco-elasticity and the presence of time, accordingly repairing and improving the defense function of intestinal mucosal barrier to various attacks factor, repairing the damaged bridge between the intestinal cells,making it close connection, ensure the digestion and adsorption of various nutriments.

Relieve immune suppression

Strongly adsorb harmful toxins in feed, such as aflatoxin etc polar mycotoxins. Relieve immune suppression caused by mycotoxin, improve immune effect of vaccine, enhance immunity of animals.

Safe,Environmental,Natural

Selectively adsorb harmful bacteria and toxins, not interfering adsorption of other nutriments, safe、environmental、no withdrawal time、no side effects.

Hemostatic function

Montmorillonite can activate blood coagulation factor, promote vasoconstriction, slow down part blood flow. It has hemostasis, accelerate wound healing effects when newborn piglets born, docking, castration, smear on umnilical cord and wound. 

Anti-stress

Before and after weaning, taking montmorillonite can effectively reduce stress reaction.

Professor comments:

So far, montmorillonite is widely used for clinic in more than 60 countries in the world, it is widely believed that montmorillonite is high-effient, non toxic “ green medicine”, it has protection effect on digestive tract and mucous membrance, can be used as choice drug for various diarrhea. 

Zeolite powder

Zeolite powder is levigated from natural zeolite, color is light green, white. Can remove 95% of NH3 and Nitrogen in water, purify water quality, alleviate the phenomenon of turning water

Chinese name: 沸石粉

English name: Zeolite powder

Chemical formula: Na12[(AlO2)12(SiO2)12].27H2O

Function: Purification agent in aquaculture; carrier in feed

Zeolite is the general term for zeolite-type minerals. Being rack-shaped, it is a water-containing alkali or a type of alkali soil with metallic aluminosilicate mineral. There are 50 kinds of zeolite, apply to breeding industry is mainly clinoptilolite and mordenite. They have many macroelement and microelement in aquaculture growth period. These elements exists at ionic condition, can be used by aquaculture.

Physical property:

Chemical ingredient(%)

Microelement (PPm)

Usage:

1. Additive:

Adding 5% (150 mesh) of clinoptilolite in 2 grass carp feed can improve survival rate of grass carp 14%, relative growth rate improve 10.8%, feed coefficient reduce 0.28, digestive proteinases activity of grass carp can be improved by 27%, no influence on Liver pancreatic protease activity. There is no side effect on 对血液中尿素氮BUN, GBT, CR, CH and TG etc biochemical criterion in blood and grass carp bone and meat quality.

2. Improvement agent:

Each mu with 1 meter deep of water use zeolite (200mesh) 50kg, can remove NH3 and nitrogen 95%, purify water quality, alleviate the phenomenon of turning water 

3. Carrier

Zeolite has basic condition as carrier in additive premix and diluent, zeolite is neutral PH 7-7.5, low moisture, moisture-resistant, mix with Inorganic salt content with crystal water, can adsorb its moisture, enhance feed mobility. Zeolite has rough surface and cellular structure, make it have strong carrier-taken capacity, can not only adsorb materials uniformly, but also adsorb to hole and gallery, improve material utilizability, and improve uniformity of mixture. And extend releasing time of trace ingredient and good for adsorption of animals.

Clinoptilolite

It is the aluminosilicate mineral of sodium, potassium and calcium containing water in zeolite group.

On October 27, 2017, the list of carcinogens released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) was preliminarily compiled for reference. Except Erionite, (clinoptilolite, phillipsite, mordenite, Non-fibrous Japanese zeolite and synthetic zeolites) were included in the list of three types of carcinogens

Clinoptilolite chemical formula for Na (AlSi5O12) · 4 H2O, monoclinic system, a = 7.41 A, b = 17.89 A, c = 15.85 A, β=91°21′symmetrical type, crystal plate shaped or platy, aggregate radiated hair-like white or colorless, vitreous luster, cleavage parallel to {010} completely, hardness is 3.5 ~ 4, relative density 2.16, which are found in volcanic rock porosity, can also be a pyroclastic lava of alteration products of clinoptilolite heating without deformation after dehydration, stable structure, is a good natural molecular sieve material.

Clinoptilolite as a kind of multifunctional efficient cheap wastewater treatment material, modified process simple, non-toxic side effects to the environment, with low thermal stability good adsorption equilibrium time is short ion residues of acidity to adapt to a wide range of reusable features, especially suitable for a lot of low concentration wastewater treatment, so more and more get the attention of environmental workers, has become a new method of wastewater treatment research one of the main direction, has the very broad application prospects

Clinoptilolite is one of the zeolite minerals, also is a kind of its crystal is one of the most abundant transparent plate, can also be due to impurities into brown red clinoptilolite is aqueous alkali metal aluminum silicate, it has the function of molecular sieve dehydration after can selectively extract nitrogen from the air and oxygen enrichment of clinoptilolite can also be as ion exchanger, used to handle nuclear waste, it is also a filling agent and expansive agent in papermaking industry.

World increasingly serious water pollution, sewage treatment and protection of water resources has been paid attention to by the countries all over the world also attaches great importance to the water pollution prevention and control work in China, the total discharge of major pollutants in the 11th five-year plan to reduce as obligatory targets for efficient and cheap material of wastewater treatment has become one of the hot problems of water pollution prevention and control work. Therefore, has a special frame structure of the natural clinoptilolite, non-metallic mineral resources as a kind of cheap by countries around the world more and more attention, and for its excellent adsorption and select ion exchange is widely used in various wastewater treatment, has achieved obvious results clinoptilolite adsorption ability of organic pollutant mainly depends on the size of the organic molecules and polarity, so some moderate molecular diameter and is easy to adsorb organic pollutants containing polar groups. After the adsorption capacity or exchange capacity of clinopyrozeolite reaches saturation, it can be effectively regenerated by simple physical or chemical methods, so as to achieve the purpose of recycling.