The interaction of organic matter with clays

As an introduction to this discussion it is well to give the summary from Russell 

Organic substances are held to the surface of clays by both Coulomb forces between ions and also by van der Waals attraction of molecules to the surface (Hendricks, 1941 Grim et al., 1947 Talibudeen, 1950). Table 9.1, taken from Greenland (1965), lists the bonding forces that may be involved, and gives examples. It will be noted that the forces that are active in clay organic complex formation are the same as those acting in other situations where atoms and molecules are in close proximity. 

FORCES INVOLVED IN THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CLAYS AND ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (from GREENLAND, 1965) 

An excellent discussion of both the physical and biological chemistry of clay mineral—organic nitrogen complexes has been presented by McLaren and Peterson 

When organic colloids are allowed to react with inorganic colloids to form complexes it is common for many or most of the reactive groups to be neutralized. This observation 

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