Microbial adsorption and inhibition mechanisms of Clay Minerals and Derived Materials: A Review

^1*Adekeye D.K, ¹Asaolu S.S, ¹Adefemi S.O, ¹Popoola O.K, ¹Akinbo E. O, ¹Falaye A, ²Olumide H.A, ³Adedotun I.S
¹Department of Chemistry, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti
²Department of Geology, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti
³Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Osun State University Osogbo, Osun State 

ABSTRACT
The global health issues of antimicrobial resistant and instability of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents have drawn the attention of researchers to developing alternative technologies for combating the epidemics of these health issues. Clay minerals in the past and present decades have been explored as cheap and effective materials to combat the problems of antimicrobial resistant with enhanced stability properties, both in their raw and modified forms as well as materials derived from them. The biogeochemical characteristics of clay minerals have drawn the interests of several researchers worldwide. Several synthetic and modification methods such as intercalation, adsorption and pillaring have been employed to derive materials from clay minerals. Clay minerals and derived materials possess diverse biological properties and play a vital role in microbial inhibition which is accompanied by diverse mechanisms that are driven by different factors such as pH, presence of metals and metal ions. Microorganisms also adhere to clay materials’ surfaces by adsorption mechanisms that are influenced by medium chemistry, and this makes it possible for the materials to remove microbes from their respective contaminated medium. These properties make clay materials suitable for both biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. This mini review discusses various mechanisms by which microorganisms are inhibited and adsorbed by clay minerals, factors influencing the mechanisms as well as the interactions between clay minerals and microorganisms.
Keywords: adsorption; microbial inhibition mechanism; microorganisms; clay materials; biomaterials.