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Alternative users of zeolite

Further to the agricultural and livestock use of Zeolite, there are a lot of other uses in other industry sectors.

Below we mention some of them:

ZEOLITE IN WATER

One of the most common daily use of zeolite is the softening systems (ion exchange filters) and water filtration. In ion exchange filters, the zeolite binds calcium and magnesium ions, so water becomes softer and richer in sodium.

The addition of natural zeolite in water, results in the binding of inorganic, organic, organometallic, gases, bacteria, cyanobacteria, metals and radionuclides in a percentage from 20% to 100%. The zeolite enhances the water with oxygen and regulates water’s pH to neutral by increasing or decreasing it, depending on the acidity or the alkalinity of water.

ZEOLITE IN WASTE -WATER TREATMENT

The use of natural zeolite in waste-water treatment plants is one of the oldest and most promising applications. The presence of heavy metals
(Zn, Cr, Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, Fe, etc.) in liquid wastes is a major environmental problem and their removal by the use of natural zeolites have extensively studied in combination with other methods, such as chemical precipitation, ion exchange, absorption, flocculation, flotation and other electrochemical methods. Various natural zeolites worldwide have shown good ion exchange capacity, such as ammonium ions and heavy metals.

ZEOLITE IN PETS

Other common uses of zeolite are to capture odors from pet wastes, like cat litter for pets and water filters aquariums. Zeolites due to their crystalline structure, they help to entrap undesirable liquids, the various odor molecules and retain the water from undesirable substances.

BUILDING USE OF ZEOLITE

There are a lot of applications of zeolites in building industry:

  • Like building blocks, for cement production (as substitute to pozzolan)
  • In the manufacture of compressed boards, as a filler
  • In the manufacture of high strength light bricks

HEAVY METALS AND RADIOACTIVE REMOVAL FROM SOIL

It has been demonstrated that zeolites are highly effective in the removal of radioactive waste and soil purification from toxic heavy metals. They are used in separation of harmful organic substances from water and the removal of ion heavy metals which produced by nuclear fission, by water.

Typical example is the Fukushima’s rice farmers in Japan, where after nuclear disaster of 2011, zeolite was used in the fields, in an effort to trap any radioactive pollutants.

OTHER ZEOLITE USES

  • Paper Industry
  • Sun Energy Storage