Application of natural zeolite in wastewater treatment: A review

Abstract

The environmental pollution is a major problem over the world. The large amount of pollutants formed during various industrial processes reaches the ecosystem. Thus, heavy metals, oils and other organic compounds are responsible for water contamination. It is known that heavy metals have toxic effect on the environment. Additionally, they are non-degradable and have ability to reach the living organisms through the food chain. Among different methods, the adsorption is widely used in wastewater treatment due to simplicity of the process and efficiency in the removal of pollutants. Natural zeolites from different deposits have shown good selectivity for heavy metal ions. Additionally, they are environmentally friendly, low-cost and have high ion exchange capacity.