Nitrate desorption using surfactant-modified zeolite.

Hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HDTMA-Cl) has been successfully used to synthesize surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) from natural zeolite (NZ). This investigation aims to modify NZ with HDTMA-CL surfactant and investigate its use in the nitrate ion (NO3−) adsorption and desorption, which was carried out using the column method. FTIR, XRD, and SEM-EDX were used to characterize NZ and SMZ. A UV-Vis spectrophotometer was used to analyze the adsorbed and desorbed NO3− concentrations. SMZ has been effectively synthesized with adsorption bands at wavenumbers of 2855 cm−1 and 2924 cm−1 appear in the FTIR result. These bands showed the presence of the amine's symmetrical and asymmetrical CH2 stretch. According to the XRD results, clinoptilolite and mordenite phases predominate in the crystalline structures of NZ and SMZ. The impact of surfactants on NZ also reduces its intensity. A study comparing NZ with SMZ for nitrate adsorption and desorption revealed that SMZ was an effective adsorbent. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that SMZ containing NO3− is still available 24 hours thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]