Novel Applications of Zeolites in Adsorption Processes

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 3892

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: supercritical impregnation; starch-chitosan-zeolite; antibacterial activity; natural zeolite; adsorption; disinfection; wastewater treatment

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: natural zeolite; porous based materials; synthesis; adsorption; modification; wastewater treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

When it was discovered, zeolite was deemed to be a weird rock that releases vapor when heated. Nowadays, thanks to an immense level of advanced scientific research, zeolites are widely used in various ways. The unique 3D microporous crystalline structure with large specific surface area and thermally stable lattice of this aluminosilicate mineral allows the presence not only at the surface but inside of the uniform-sized cavities and channels for different ions, atoms, and nano-sized particles. This makes this mineral applicable across various fields. Due to their structure, zeolites are widely used in processes such as adsorption, ion exchange, catalysis, as molecular sieves, in microbiology, etc. Furthermore, zeolites are readily available, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly, which are the additional reasons for the applicability of these minerals.

This Special Issue of Processes dedicated to zeolites is an opportunity to present the latest scientific results focusing on zeolites. Scientific contributions and review studies from the zeolite application in adsorption presents the topic of this Special Issue, but research dedicated to zeolite structure research, zeolite surface modifications, and environmental protection is also welcome.

Dr. Jelena Dikić
Dr. Sanja O. Jevtić
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • zeolite
  • adsorption
  • modification
  • kinetic
  • environmental protection
  • synthesis

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2360 KiB  
Article
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
by Matiara S. C. Amaral, Marcella A. da Silva, Giovanna da S. Cidade, Diêgo N. Faria, Daniel F. Cipriano, Jair C. C. Freitas, Fabiana Soares dos Santos, Mendelssolm K. Pietre and André M. dos Santos
Processes 2025, 13(8), 2426; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13082426 - 31 Jul 2025
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Abstract
This work focuses on the effectiveness of removing ammonium from real municipal wastewater using synthetic faujasite (FAU-type) and β (BEA-type) zeolites and a commercial β (BEA-type) sample. The results demonstrated that synthetic samples presented enhanced performance on ammonium removal in comparison with commercial [...] Read more.
This work focuses on the effectiveness of removing ammonium from real municipal wastewater using synthetic faujasite (FAU-type) and β (BEA-type) zeolites and a commercial β (BEA-type) sample. The results demonstrated that synthetic samples presented enhanced performance on ammonium removal in comparison with commercial zeolite due to higher Al content and larger specific surface area, promoting better accessibility to active adsorption sites of the adsorbents. Synthetic FAU-type and BEA-type zeolites achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 28.87 and 12.62 mg·g−1, respectively, outperforming commercial BEA-type zeolite (6.50 mg·g−1). Adsorption assays, associated with kinetic studies and adsorption isotherms, were better fitted using the pseudo-second order model and the Langmuir model, respectively, suggesting that chemisorption, involving ion exchange, and monolayer formation at the zeolite surface, was the main mechanism involved in the NH4+ adsorption process. After ammonium adsorption, the NH4+-loaded zeolite samples were used to stimulate the growth of tomato seedlings; the results revealed a change in the biomass production for seedlings grown in vitro, especially when the BEA_C_NH4 sample was employed, leading to a 15% increase in the fresh mass in comparison with the control sample. In contrast, the excess of ammonium adsorbed over the BEA_S_NH4 and FAU_NH4 samples probably caused a toxic effect on seedling growth. The elemental analysis results supported the hypothesis that the presence of NH4+-loaded zeolite into the culture medium was important for the release of nitrogen. The obtained results show then that the investigated zeolites are promising both as efficient adsorbents to mitigate the environmental impact of ammonium-contaminated water bodies and as nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Applications of Zeolites in Adsorption Processes)
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20 pages, 10394 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Hydroxyapatite-Modified Natural Zeolite: Application as Adsorbent for Ni2+ and Cr3+ Ion Removal from Aqueous Solutions
by Katarina Sokić, Jelena Dikić, Đorđe Veljović, Ivana Jelić, Dragana Radovanović, Marija Štulović and Sanja Jevtić
Processes 2025, 13(3), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030818 - 11 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1341
Abstract
Natural zeolites (NatZ) are widely available, porous, crystalline aluminosilicate minerals that are commonly used as cost-effective adsorbents in water treatment processes. Despite their efficiency in removing various heavy metal ions from wastewater, NatZ show relatively low affinity toward Ni2+ and Cr3+ [...] Read more.
Natural zeolites (NatZ) are widely available, porous, crystalline aluminosilicate minerals that are commonly used as cost-effective adsorbents in water treatment processes. Despite their efficiency in removing various heavy metal ions from wastewater, NatZ show relatively low affinity toward Ni2+ and Cr3+ ions. This study aimed to develop composite adsorbents based on NatZ and hydroxyapatite using two methods, hydrothermal and mechanochemical, and their adsorption properties for the removal of Ni2+ and Cr3+ ions from aqueous solutions were investigated. X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses confirmed that under hydrothermal conditions, needle-like hydroxyapatite crystals were formed on the surface of NatZ, while the zeolite structure remained unchanged. Compared to the mechanochemically prepared sample, this adsorbent showed higher efficiency, binding 6.91 mg Ni2+/g and 16.95 mg Cr3+/g. Adsorption kinetics of the tested cations in both cases can be described by a pseudo-second-order model (R2 is higher than 0.95 for all adsorbents). It is concluded that the presence of hydroxyapatite on the zeolite surface significantly improves the adsorption performance of NatZ, demonstrating its potential for the removal of heavy metal ions in wastewater treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Applications of Zeolites in Adsorption Processes)
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18 pages, 3764 KiB  
Article
Conversion of Glass Waste into Zeolite A Adsorbent for Efficient Ammonium Ion Adsorption from Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Isotherm Studies
by Neysa Pereyra, Urooj Kamran, Wilson Aguilar-Mamani and Farid Akhtar
Processes 2025, 13(3), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030678 - 27 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1236
Abstract
In this study, a zeolitic adsorbent (AGW-ZA) was successfully developed from glass waste (GW)-derived aluminosilicates. The GW, serving as the starting material, underwent alkaline activation and hydrothermal treatment to yield the AGW-ZA adsorbent, which exhibited a surface area of 216.48 m2/g. [...] Read more.
In this study, a zeolitic adsorbent (AGW-ZA) was successfully developed from glass waste (GW)-derived aluminosilicates. The GW, serving as the starting material, underwent alkaline activation and hydrothermal treatment to yield the AGW-ZA adsorbent, which exhibited a surface area of 216.48 m2/g. The AGW-ZA demonstrated significantly higher ammonium (NH4+) ion adsorption (142.5 mg/g at 1000 mg/L) than pristine GW (80.0 mg/g). Optimal adsorption experimental parameters were identified (0.1 g dosage, pH = 7, and 10 h contact time) to determine the maximum NH4+ ions’ adsorption potential by adsorbents. Kinetic and isotherm models were applied to experimental data to describe the adsorption mechanisms. The pseudo-second-order model provided the best fit for both AGW-ZA and pristine GW, indicating that the adsorption process is followed by chemical interaction via ion exchange. Regarding isotherms, the Freundlich model was most suitable for AGW-ZA, signifying that NH4+ ions adsorbed on heterogeneous adsorbent surfaces by forming multilayers, while the Temkin model fit the pristine GW data, indicating the chemisorption nature with medium adsorbate–adsorbent interactions above the heterogeneous surface. This study explores the potential of transforming discarded GW into a high-performance zeolitic adsorbent for the mitigation of environmental pollution by removing NH4+ ions from wastewater while simultaneously addressing waste management challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Applications of Zeolites in Adsorption Processes)
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