Pyrene photochemical species in commercial clays.

The photochemistry of pyrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, adsorbed on kaolinite, sodium montmorillonite and acid bentonite K10® was investigated to determine how the concentration and structure of the clay minerals affect the formation of different species of pyrene. Fluorescence emission spectra were obtained using reflection geometry for pyrene at the concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 100.