The reaction of cyclic ethylene sulfide with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane resulted in a new silylating agent, which was anchored onto a silica surface via the sol-gel procedure using hydrochloric acid or ammonium hydroxide as acid or base catalysts, respectively. Both organofunctionalized surfaces have the ability to adsorb divalent cations from aqueous nitrate solution. Through calorimetric titrations, the thermodynamic data of cation-basic center interactions were obtained. Exothermic enthalpy values were obtained for all interaction processes. The calculated free Gibbs energy is in agreement with the spontaneity of the reactions and the positive entropy values for all reactions are favorable for these systems. © 2009 Akadémiai Kiadó, Bu...