Ammonium removal using a calcined natural zeolite modified with sodium nitrate

Ammonium is one of the key factors responsible for the eutrophication of water bodies. The purpose of this study was to remove ammonium from water using a natural zeolite (NZ) modified with sodium nitrate (NaNO3) by impregnation and calcination. The ability of the NZ to remove ammonium from water was determined by single calcination; however, its efficiency was significantly enhanced by impregnation with a NaNO3 solution. Zeolite modified with 3.00 M NaNO3 and calcination at 673 K yielded the best ammonium removal efficiency, which was 39.88 % higher than the NZ alone. The zeolites that were regenerated over six times maintained a removal rate of 79.35–84.79 % by mixing 25.0 mg of the NZ into 50 mL of a 5.0 mg/L ammonium solution. The improved performance of the modified zeolite (qm, 16.96 mg/g) was mainly attributed to its relatively elevated mesopore volumes and higher ion-exchange capacity that results from nitrate decomposition, oxygen release, and sodium-ion exchange. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms are best described by the pseudo-first-order (PFO) and Freundlich model, respectively, and the process was endothermic. The effects of other factors, including coexisting ions, pH, and dosage, on ammonium adsorption were also determined.