Using organic contaminant adsorption isotherms and sorptive behavior, organophilic-type organoclays (which produce simple, linear isotherms) are defined as having large exchanged organic-cation alkyl groups. These groups seem to act as a solvent phase (e.g. partitioning phase, i.e., solubilized), but are located in the interlayer, to absorb organic contaminants (Jaynes and Boyd, 1991b).

a) Synthetic systems. These clays are prepared from smectite or vermiculite by using large quaternary (> C-10) organic cations, such as hexadecyltrimethylammonium (C-16) or dioctadecyltrimethylammonium (C-18). These higher charge clay minerals (e.g., vermiculite, illite, high-charge smectite) adsorb greater numbers of large organic cations and yield organoclays that are more effective in absorbing organic contaminants compared to the unmodified clay. See also Boyd and Jaynes (1994).
b) Natural systems. Soil organic matter and organic compounds adsorbed to (internal or external) clay- mineral surfaces can act as a solvent phase for organic contaminants dissolved in water. Organic compounds (e.g., benzene, toluene, xylenes in gasoline) are more soluble in soil organic matter or the organic phase derived from organic compounds adsorbed to mineral particles than in water. Nonionic organic compounds may be partitioned (i.e. solubilized) into soil organic matter; see Chiou et al. (1979).
Cf., organoclay, adsorptive; organoclay