Diatomaceaus earth characterization. DE’s used in this study were acquired from a local commercial company operating in Ankara-Kazan and Beypazarı counties (Beg-tuğ Mineral). Physicochemical tests and analysis of the DE’s (e.g. grain size, chemical content, and morphology) were carried out at General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) labs in Ankara, Turkey. Grain size distribution and SEM images of the DE’s are presented in Figure 1 and 2, respectively. The chemical composition of the DE’s is given in Table