A Study on Ammonia Removal Properties using Clinoptilolite Part 1: Characterization of Clinoptilolite and Ammonia Removal Properties in Batch Reactor

A natural zeolite, deposit located at Guryongpo, Young-il bay, was found to be clinoptilolite containing impuri- ties of heulandite and mordenite. Cation exchange capacity(CEC) for ammonia was about 1.41 meq/g from Na + -form of the zeolite. In batch experiment, removal efficiency of ammonia was increased as particle size of zeolite and initial concentration of Na + were decreased and SR(Stoichiometric Ratio), time, and initial concentration of ammonia increased. More than 70% aluminum ion could be removed from water having 3 ppm ammonia and 0.7 ppm Al 3+ by the batch adsorption(ion exchange) experiment. Regeneration of used zeolite with NaCl solution of pH=12 has shown more than 95% of regeneration efficiency when SR'(ratio of the amount of NaCl solution employed actually to the amount in a stoichiometric quantity) was equal to 2.0.