Effect of acid modification of natural zeolites on the adsorption of some pharmacopollutants

Wastewater and natural waters contain various pollutants of both natural and artificial origin. Treatment of these waters is carried out comprehensively by various methods, which significantly increases costs. Currently, the problem of a large amount of drugs entering the wastewater is very relevant. Drugs, unchanged or in the form of metabolites, enter the wastewater together with the waste products of a living organism. To solve urgent practical problems of water purification, a possibility of using natural zeolite materials as sorbents has been recently considered. Being a natural aluminosilicates of frame-type structure, these minerals have a number of unique adsorption properties that can be used in water treatment processes. Treatment with acid solutions (alkalis, salt solutions and some organic compounds) allows to improve significantly their sorption characteristics for decision of a particular problem. Zeolites, being chemically stable minerals, are capable to withstand the effects of chemically active medium without destruction of the crystal lattice. The effect of boiling acid (HC1) on natural zeolites from Georgian deposits (mordenite and clinoptilolite) and the possibility of their use for adsorption treatment of wastewater were studied in this work. Identification of modified zeolites was carried out on the basis of X-ray diffractograms and IR-spectra. It has been shown that natural clinoptilolites (mordenite and zeolite) are characterized by high thermostability and acid resistance even after acid-modification, and the resulting hydrogen forms are distinguished by high concentration of active centers; the efficiency of adsorption method for wastewater treatment from some pharmacopolutants when using acid-modified natural zeolites has been also shown. This method will solve the problem of entering the environment of drugs with lower costs