Determination of the surface sorption properties of talc, different salts, and clay minerals at various relative humidities using adsorption data of a diverse set of organic vapors.

Adsorption constants of a diverse set of organic vapors have been measured on NaCl, KNO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl, kaolinite, bentonite. and talc at different relative humidities at 15 degrees C. Together with the earlier studied quartz (SiO2), CaCO3, and alpha-Al2O3, these surfaces represent relevant sorbents for organic vapors in the environment. An equation that describes the van der Waals and H-bond interactions between the sorbate and the surface can be used to describe the sorbate and sorbent variability in the measured data and to predict sorption constants of organic compounds that have not been tested on the respective surface. The unknown properties of the sorbent surfaces are used as fitting parameters in this equation. These data provide important insights into the variability of sorption properties of natural, inorganic surfaces as a function of relative humidity.