A potential refinement of water endangered with Zn-65 onto modified zeolite

The recently synthesized mono- and bimetallic Fe and Mn oxides supported zeolite of clinoptilolite type, characterized with FT-IR, XRD, SEM-EDS and XPS spectroscopy, confirmed the occurrence of a new MnO₂ phase (pyrolusite, birnessite) including mostly amorphous iron oxi(hydr)oxide FeO(OH) species on the surface. The product validated a much higher adsorption capacity toward Zn-65 pollutant compared to the natural clinoptilolite. The following order, beginning with a decreasing maximum adsorption capacity a(max) toward Zn-65 was found: MnOx-zeolite (35.1 mg/g) > FeO(OH)-MnOx-zeolite (23.5 mg/g) > FeO(OH)-zeolite (12.9 mg/g) > natural zeolite (8 mg/g). (author)