The effect of potassium. sodium. calcium, magnesium, and hydrogen cations oil adsorption of guar gum onto quartz was investigated at natural pH. The role of the background ions was analyzed in terms of their water-structure making or breaking capabilities. In dilute solutions (0.01 mol/L) of structure-makers (NaCl, HCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2), the guar gum adsorption density did not change compared to the adsorption densities obtained in distilled water. Potassium, the only structure-breaking ion (chaotrope) among the tested cations, significantly enhanced guar gum adsorption. The results obtained in mixed electrolytes demonstrate that the strong structure-breaking properties of K+ overcome any contributions from weak Structure making ions (kosmotropes), and guar gum adsorption remains at the levels observed in KCl alone. Only when strongly hydrated Mg2+ ions are mixed with KCl, the overall effect becomes additive and the influence of potassium is proportionally reduced by increasing concentrations of magnesium cations. In this approach, guar gum adsorption oil quartz is viewed as a competition between polysaccharide and water Molecules for silanol surface sites. The hydration of the quartz surface inhibits the adsorption process but the competition equilibrium. and hence polysaccharide adsorption, can be affected by the presence of chaotropes or kosmotropes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.