Zeolites have wide range of applications in the environmental protection

Zeolites have a wide range of applications in the environmental protection field due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as ion exchange. Here are some specific application examples:

• Air purification:
  • VOCs adsorption: Zeolites have a strong adsorption capacity for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. They can be used in industrial exhaust gas treatment and indoor air purification. For example, in the paint and coating industry, zeolite - based adsorption materials can be used to adsorb VOCs in exhaust gases to reduce air pollution.
  • Gas separation and purification: Zeolites can selectively adsorb certain gases, so they are often used in the separation and purification of gases such as natural gas and biogas. For example, they can remove impurities such as carbon dioxide and water vapor in natural gas to improve the purity of natural gas.
• Soil remediation:
  • Heavy metal immobilization: When zeolites are added to soil contaminated by heavy metals, they can adsorb and fix heavy metals through ion exchange and surface adsorption, reducing the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals, thereby reducing their harm to the environment and organisms.
  • Soil fertility improvement: Zeolites can adsorb and retain nutrients such as ammonium ions and potassium ions in the soil, preventing nutrient leaching and making them available to plants over a long period of time, which is beneficial to improving soil fertility and promoting plant growth.
  • Wastewater treatment:
    • Heavy metal removal: Zeolites can effectively adsorb heavy metal ions like lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium in wastewater through ion - exchange and adsorption mechanisms. For example, in industrial wastewater containing lead ions, the sodium ions in zeolites can exchange with lead ions, thus removing lead ions from the water.
    • Nutrient removal: Zeolites can adsorb ammonium - nitrogen in wastewater, which is of great significance for controlling water eutrophication. In the process of treating domestic sewage and agricultural non - point source pollution, zeolites can be used to remove excessive nitrogen nutrients to prevent water bodies from becoming eutrophic.