Applied Clay Science 36 (2007) 1 3

www.elsevier.com/locate/clay

Introduction

Clays and health: An introduction

Clays are the materials for ceramics production is the

general idea of people about clays. However, clay
minerals are not only the most abundant components
of the surface mineral world (Velde, 1995) but are the
minerals showing the greatest diversity of reactions.
Hundreds of uses reveal the utility of clays in very
different fields (Odom, 1984; Jepson, 1984; Murray,
1986; Khnel, 1990; Konta, 1995; Murray, 1999; Murray,
2000; Konta, 2000; Murray, 2003; Murray and Kogel,
2005; Adams and McCabe, 2006; Harvey and Lagaly,
2006; Ruiz-Hitzky and Van Meerbeek, 2006).
During the last decade the properties of clays
beneficial to human health received great interest
although therapeutic effects of clays were used since
prehistoric times (Carretero, 2002; Carretero et al.,
2006; Gomes and Pereira Silva, 2006). Presently, clay
minerals are applied in spa and beauty therapy
(pelotherapy), as well as in pharmaceutical and clinical
applications (Carretero, 2002; Carretero et al., 2006;
Droy-Lefaix and Tateo, 2006; Gomes and Pereira Silva,
2006). We should not ignore that harmful effects of
some clay minerals on human health were also known
for centuries (Carretero et al., 2006).
This special issue is devoted to different aspects of
clays and health. It is opened by a review on the
beneficial and harmful effects of minerals in general and
clay minerals by Gomes and Pereira Silva (2007-this
issue): Minerals and clay minerals in medical geology.
In the first section are reported the many applications
of clay minerals in pharmacy and cosmetics indicating
the broad variety of these materials as active principles,
adsorbents, excipients, for drug delivery and in retard
formulations: Use of clays as drug delivery systems:
possibilities and limitations by Aguzzi et al. (2007-this
issue), Uses of clay minerals in semisolid health care
and therapeutic products by Viseras et al. (2007-this
issue), Compositional, technical and safety specifications of clays to be used as pharmaceutical and cosmetic
0169-1317/$ - see front matter 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.clay.2006.09.001

products by Lpez-Galindo et al. (2007-this issue).

Clay-based formulations for topical applications in
balneotherapy are also described in the review by
Gomes and Pereira Silva (2007-this issue). The mobility
of chemical elements from healing clays to the human
body during topical applications and ingestion is discussed by Tateo and Summa (2007-this issue): Element
mobility in clays for healing use. Examples of beneficial
clay mineralorganic interactions are reported by
Bonina et al. (2007-this issue): Adsorption of salicylic
acid on bentonite and kaolin and release experiments
and by Damonte et al. (2007-this issue): Some aspects of
glyphosphate adsorption on montmorillonite and its
calcined form. We add the remark that some special
clays are used in shampoos (Mahjoory, 1996). An
example of the beneficial uses of zeolites is reported by
Bonferoni et al. (2007-this issue): Zn2+ -exchanged
clinoptilolite-rich rock as active carrier for antibiotics
an anti-acne topical therapy. In-vitro characterization
and preliminary formulation studies.
Another group of layered compounds which provide
beneficial effects on human health are the layered
double hydroxides (LDHs, sometimes called anionic
clays) (Forano et al., 2006). The review Layered
double hydroxides and human health, an overview is
presented by del Hoyo (2007-this issue). Choy et al.
(2007-this issue) refer to Clay minerals and layered
double hydroxides for novel biological applications.
del Arco et al. (2007-this issue) report on intercalation of
anti-inflammatory agents into LDHs: Intercalation of
mefenamics and meclofenamic acid anions in hydrotalcite-like matrixes.
The section on Clays in pelotherapy refers to the
therapeutic effects of clays and clay minerals used as
peloids. The term peloid (accepted by the International
Society of Medical Hydrology in 1949) refers to
different kinds of sediments or deposits which include
mainly silicates (clays, micas, feldspars, etc.) but also

Introduction

carbonates, sulfates, sulfides, and variable amounts

of organic substances. Mixed with different sea or saltlake mineral waters peloids form pastes or poultices
for essentially therapeutic uses (Legido et al., 2007this issue).
The section Clays in pelotherapy contains the
papers: Thermal muds: perspectives of innovations by
Veniale et al. (2007-this issue), Comparative study of
the cooling rates of bentonite, sepiolite and common
clays for their use in pelotherapy by Legido et al. (2007this issue), Comparison of saponite and montmorillonite
behavior during static and stirring maturation with
see water for pelotherapy by Carretero et al. (2007this issue).
The beneficial effects of clay minerals on human
health are not restricted to therapies and uses in pharmacy
and cosmetics. Clays and clay minerals became important
materials in environmental technology to protect our
environment against harmful substances (Nir et al., 2006;
Churchman et al., 2006). Contributions considering this
aspect are collected in section IV of this issue. One important process is the removal of organic pollutants from
water by modified clay minerals, described by Zadaka
et al. (2007-this issue): Application of modified silicate
mineral adsorbents for removal of organic pollutants
from water: Comparison with activated carbon and by
Rytwo et al. (2007-this issue): Use of CV- and TPPmontmorillonite for the removal of priority pollutants
from water. Retention of pollutant gases: Comparison
of clay minerals and their modified products is reported
by Volzone (2007-this issue). An example of very
toxic natural compounds, carcinogens for humans and
animals, are mycotoxins. They are found in grains and
other food crops infested by Aspergillus fungi. Studies of
Jaynes et al. (2007-this issue) on Aflatoxin B1 adsorption
on clays from water and corn meal reveal the utility of
clay minerals, especially montmorillonite and sepiolite, to
reduce the risk of aflatoxin intoxination (aflatoxicosis).
Many papers deal with the distribution of toxic
elements from geological sources (Selinus et al., 2005;
Velde, 1995). The studies of Bertolino et al. (2007-this
issue) on Mineralogy and geochemistry of bottom
sediments from water reservoirs in the vicinity of
Crdoba, Argentina: environmental and health constraints reveal alarming concentrations of trace metals
(U, W, As) although the sediments are not preferential
storage sites for these elements. Water, sediments,
and flora from this area should not be used for human
purposes until contamination sources and the local
drainage systems have been evaluated. This contribution
represents an example that careful geological studies are
essential to avoid problematic ecological situations.

In conclusion, this special issue reports the state of art in

using clays, clay minerals, and layered double hydroxides
in therapy, pharmacy, and cosmetics as well as for environment protection. The contributions may also provide
a first entry into this unique field of clay science.
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Maria Isabel Carretero*

Dpto. Cristalografa, Mineraloga y Qumica Agrcola,
Facultad de Qumica, Universidad de Sevilla,
Apdo. 553, 41071 Sevilla, Spain
E-mail address: carre@us.es.
Corresponding author.
Gerhard Lagaly
Institut fr Anorganische Chemie,
Christian-Albrechts-Universitt zu Kiel,
D-24098 Kiel, Germany
E-mail address: lagaly@ac.uni-kiel.de.