The adsorption of acetaldehyde by sepiolite combined with 2-aminobenzoic acid (sepiolite-OABA complex) was studied in comparison with that of the aldehyde by mere sepiolite. Experiments were carried out at 25°C in ambient air having relative humidity of 9.0, 30, 60, and 80%. Combination of 2-aminobenzoic acid (OABA) with sepiolite was found to give big enhancement on the adsorptive capacity of sepiolite. For example, in 9.0% relative humidity, the adsorptive capacity of sepiolite combined with 10% OABA was about 10 times larger than that of mere sepiolite. In 30, 60, and 80% relative humidity, that of sepiolite combined with 10% OABA was about 30, 50, and over 100 times larger than that of mere sepiolite, respectively.
Removal rate of the aldehyde by sepiolite from the air was decreased proportionally with elevating relative humidity regardless of the initial concentration (C_o=19.9-345ppm). But that of the aldehyde by the sepiolite combined with 10% OABA was nearly constant (≥99.5%) in 9.0-60% relative humidity range and decreased slightly (≅1 %), when relative humidity was lowered (≅80%) in the relatively high initial concentration (C_o=924-2506 ppm). The removal of the aldehyde was discussed on the basis of reaction and adsorption.