Removal of Nitrates and Ammonium Ions from Water Using Natural Sorbent Zeolite (Clinoptilolite)

Journal Title: Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management - Year 2008, Vol 16, Issue 1

Abstract

Experimental investigation of nitrogen compound (nitrates and ammonium ions) removal from water using natural zeolite was carried out in the laboratory of Water Management Department in VGTU. Shallow-well water samples were taken from a few place situated in Vilnius city and Vilnius district, nitrate concentration was enhanced adding Na NO[sub]3[/sub] into the samples. Nitrate removal from water solutions was carried out under static conditions: solutions with nitrate concentration of 74–288 mg/l were mixed during one hour with 5 g of 0.315 mm particle-sized zeolite in an automatic mixer when mixing intensity was 100 min.[sup]–1[/sup]; after 30 min. sedimentation nitrate concentration was measured in all the samples. Ammo-nium ion removal from water solutions (made of shallow-well and tap water with NH[sub]4[/sub]Cl) was carried out under static and dynamic conditions (water solutions with 10–15 mg/l of ammonium ion concentration were filtered through 0.315–0.63 mm particle-sized filter medium). Experimental results show that shallow-well water (with nitrate concentration of 74–288 mg/l), after one-hour mixing with 5 g of 0.315 mm particle-sized zeolite and after 30 min. sedimentation, nitrate concentration stayed the same without any reduction. The same shallow-well water (with 1–10 mg/l ammonium ion concentration) mixed with 5 g of 0.315–0.63 mm particle-sized zeolite showed ammonium ion removal efficiency of 72–86 %. For ammonium ion removal from tap water and NH[sub]4[/sub]Cl solution (primary concentration was 15 mg/l) under dynamic conditions, filtering through 400 mm high, 0.315–0.63 mm particle-sized zeolite filter medium, when filtration rate was 5 mg/l, NH[sub]4[/sub][sup]+[/sup] removal efficiency was 95–99.9 %. Ammonium ion removal from shallow-well water and NH[sub]4[/sub]Cl solution (primary concentration was 10 mg/l) under dynamic conditions, filtered through 95 mm high, 0.315–0.63 mm particle-sized zeolite filter medium, when filtration rate was 3 mg/l, NH[sub]4[/sub][sup]+[/sup] removal in filtered water samples decreased with exponential dependency. The obtained results show that zeolite particles are not suitable for nitrate sorption from water solutions, but 0.315–0.63 mm particle-sized zeolite can be a very useful sorbent for NH[sub]4[/sub][sup]+[/sup] removal from water because of the above mentioned reasons, therefore, further investigations are needed in this area.

Authors and Affiliations

Aušra Mažeikienė, Marina Valentukevičienė, Mindaugas Rimeika, Algirdas Matuzevičius, Regimantas Dauknys

Keywords

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  • EP ID EP83287
  • DOI 10.3846/1648-6897.2008.16.38-44
  • Views 126
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Aušra Mažeikienė, Marina Valentukevičienė, Mindaugas Rimeika, Algirdas Matuzevičius, Regimantas Dauknys (2008). Removal of Nitrates and Ammonium Ions from Water Using Natural Sorbent Zeolite (Clinoptilolite). Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management, 16(1), 38-44. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-83287