Adsorption of β-carotene on modified magnesium silicate

Modified flocculation magnesium silicate is prepared by a hydrothermal process at 120A degrees C for 18 h after adding Al-2(SO4)(3) into the magnesium silicate gel. Compared with standard magnesium silicate with 328.116 m(2) g(-1) surface area, this modified magnesium silicate has a bigger BET surface area of 536.803 m(2) g(-1) and a lower interlayer water content. Modified magnesium silicate exhibits high beta-carotene adsorption with a maximum adsorption capacity of 364.96 mg g(-1). It is shown that when suspended in organic solvent, this material can be used effectively for carotenoid separation. Furthermore, our results suggest that modified magnesium silicate may be a promising candidate as an absorbent in the decoloring of oil.