The investigation of modification methodes, kinetic and ammonia adsorption by Iranian clinoptilolite zeolite

In this study, Iranian clinoptilolite zeolite was investigated for removal of ammonium.Here efficacy of both zeolite and modified zeolite by chemical methods were investigated. Thezeolite was modified using FeCl۳.۶H۲O ۰.۲ M, sodium hydroxide ۴M for ۷۲ h and HCl ۰.۵ M.Characterization of the prepared adsorbent was carried out using various techniques such asXRD, FESEM, EDS and BET analyses. Experiments with aqueous solutions containingconcentrations of ammonium ion (۲۰۰۰ mg/ L) by contacting certain amounts of naturalclinoptilolite (۰.۰۰۱-۰.۱) gr, for (۵- ۲۴۰) min and in different pH (۲- ۱۰.۵) were investigated.Themaximum amount of ammonium uptake for natural zeolite at a concentration of ۲۰۰۰ mg/L wasobtained at pH = ۸.۵ with ۰.۱ g of natural zeolite for ۱ hour. The results show that the highestamount of ammonium uptake by the HCl-modified zeolite was about ۱۹۹۹ mg/L. Also, the results indicate that the HCl-modified of Clinoptilolite could provide strong basic sites andmesopore structure (average pore diameter of ۵.۸۸۰۳ nm) with high surface area (۴۰ m۲ g_۱) forremoval of ammonium up to ۹۹%.