Next Article in Journal
Research Progress on Optimization Method of Magnetic Grinding Process for Inner Surface of Aircraft Engine Bend Pipe
Next Article in Special Issue
A Review on the Applications of Various Zeolites and Molecular Sieve Catalysts for Different Gas Phase Reactions: Present Trends in Research and Future Directions
Previous Article in Journal
Experimental Study on the Effect of Drilling Fluid Rheological Properties on the Strength of Brittle Mud Shale
Previous Article in Special Issue
Enhanced Ammonium Removal from Wastewater Using FAU-Type and BEA-Type Zeolites and Potential Application on Seedling Growth: Towards Closing the Waste-to-Resource Cycle
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Processes
Volume 13
Issue 10
10.3390/pr13103060
processes-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Conversion of Natural Clay into Na-A (LTA) Zeolite Adsorbent for Efficient Heavy Metals Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies

by
Soumia Abdelkrim
1,2,
Adel Mokhtar
1,3,*,
Amina Sardi
4,5,6,
Boubekeur Asli
7,
Mohammed Hachemaoui
1,8,
Bouhadjar Boukoussa
1,9,
Mohammed Sassi
1,
Gianluca Viscusi
10,*,
Zouhaier Aloui
11 and
Mohamed Abboud
12
1
Laboratory of Materials Chemistry L.M.C, University Oran1 Ahmed Ben Bella, BP 1524, El-Mnaouer, Oran 31000, Algeria
2
Institute of Applied Science and Techniques (ISTA), University of Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella, BP 1524, El-Mnaouer, Oran 31000, Algeria
3
Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Relizane, Relizane 48000, Algeria
4
Laboratory of Materials Chemistry, Catalysis and Reactivity (LCMCR), Hassiba Ben Bouali University, Chlef 02010, Algeria
5
Faculty of Exact Sciences and Computer Science, Department of Chemistry, Hassiba Ben Bouali University, Chlef 02010, Algeria
6
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules (LCPM), University of Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella, El-Mnaouer, Oran 31000, Algeria
7
Faculty of Science and Technology, Ahmed Ben Yahia Al Wancharissi University of Tissemsilt, Tissemsilt 38000, Algeria
8
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Relizane, Relizane 48000, Algeria
9
Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sciences and Technology Mohamed Boudiaf, BP 1505, El-Mnaouer, Oran 31000, Algeria
10
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, Fisciano 84084, Italy
11
Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Khalid University (KKU), P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
12
Catalysis Research Group (CRG), Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
 
add Show full affiliation list
 
remove Hide full affiliation list
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2025, 13(10), 3060; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103060
Submission received: 18 August 2025 / Revised: 20 September 2025 / Accepted: 23 September 2025 / Published: 25 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Applications of Zeolites in Adsorption Processes)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

In this work, zeolite LTA (Linde Type A) was synthesised from natural clay as a novel adsorbent for copper and lead ions removal from water effluents. The applied process allowed the reuse of kaolin, as natural clay, for the production of zeolite LTA through a stepwise process, which involved the formation of metakaolin. The results of characterisation showed the formation of crystalline cubic crystals of zeolite with a mean dimension of 2–3 microns, indicating the successful nucleation and development of the LTA zeolite phase. Batch adsorption studies were carried out to study the removal ability of zeolite LTA by testing Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. Effects of contact time, pH, and adsorbent dosage were investigated. At pH > 5, the removal efficiency for both metals exceeded 95%. As the zeolite dosage increases from 2 to 10 g/L, the removal effectiveness for both metals markedly enhances (>95% at 10 g/L for lead ions and >90% at 10 g/L for copper ions). The adsorbent showed a higher adsorption capacity in removing lead compared to copper (Qm = 81.5 mg/g for Pb2+ and 67.5 mg/g for Cu2+). The adsorption process was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, while the Langmuir isotherm adequately depicted the equilibrium behavior. Notably, the kinetics revealed distinct contributions from chemisorption and physisorption, with the AOAS model effectively quantifying their respective roles in metal ion removal. The findings revealed that prepared zeolite LTA acts as an efficient adsorbent to remove heavy metals.
Keywords: zeolite; hydrothermal conversion; wastewater remediation; heavy metals zeolite; hydrothermal conversion; wastewater remediation; heavy metals

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Abdelkrim, S.; Mokhtar, A.; Sardi, A.; Asli, B.; Hachemaoui, M.; Boukoussa, B.; Sassi, M.; Viscusi, G.; Aloui, Z.; Abboud, M. Conversion of Natural Clay into Na-A (LTA) Zeolite Adsorbent for Efficient Heavy Metals Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies. Processes 2025, 13, 3060. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103060

AMA Style

Abdelkrim S, Mokhtar A, Sardi A, Asli B, Hachemaoui M, Boukoussa B, Sassi M, Viscusi G, Aloui Z, Abboud M. Conversion of Natural Clay into Na-A (LTA) Zeolite Adsorbent for Efficient Heavy Metals Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies. Processes. 2025; 13(10):3060. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103060

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdelkrim, Soumia, Adel Mokhtar, Amina Sardi, Boubekeur Asli, Mohammed Hachemaoui, Bouhadjar Boukoussa, Mohammed Sassi, Gianluca Viscusi, Zouhaier Aloui, and Mohamed Abboud. 2025. "Conversion of Natural Clay into Na-A (LTA) Zeolite Adsorbent for Efficient Heavy Metals Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies" Processes 13, no. 10: 3060. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103060

APA Style

Abdelkrim, S., Mokhtar, A., Sardi, A., Asli, B., Hachemaoui, M., Boukoussa, B., Sassi, M., Viscusi, G., Aloui, Z., & Abboud, M. (2025). Conversion of Natural Clay into Na-A (LTA) Zeolite Adsorbent for Efficient Heavy Metals Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies. Processes, 13(10), 3060. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103060

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop