Removal of ammonia/ammonium The most important property of zeolites is the removal of ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+).

In aquaculture ammonia is very to ic for fish and small concentrations of it !ill already lead to diseases and inhi"ition of #ro!th. In hi#her concentration ammonia can "e lethal to fish. In s!immin# pools$ ammonium ions are "rou#ht in the !ater "y s!immers. It often reacts !ith the free chlorine to form chloramines. They are irritatin# to the eyes and s%in. &eolites remove ammonium ions "y means of ion'e chan#e and$ at hi#her concentration$ adsorption. The ammonium ions present in the !aste!ater are e chan#ed for sodium ions. The dynamic capacity of zeolites for ammonium is a"out (.) meq*#. + series of "atch e periments !ere conducted to ascertain the a"ility of a natural zeolite (a crystalline aluminosilicate) to remove ammonia from synthetic !aste!ater samples composed of ammonium hydro ide (NH4,H). The reaction !ith ammonia !as o"served to "e very rapid$ !ith half the amount of ammonium ions "ein# sor"ed in the first minute in some instances. -stimated ammonia upta%e !as favoured "y lo! sor"ate concentration$ small particle size of sor"ent$ hi#h temperature$ and an al%aline medium. The sorption %inetics studies stron#ly indicated that the sorption process !as lar#ely #overned "y intraparticle pore diffusion. The effect of temperature on equili"rium at .4 /0 and at room temperature (12 /0) sho!ed the sorption process !as endothermic$ the rate and e tent of sorption increasin# apprecia"ly !ith temperature. The equili"rium data fitted the 3an#muir sorption model$ a possi"le indication of a monolayer covera#e of ammonium ions on the surface of the particle. The 3an#muir correlation of the equili"rium data su##ested that ion e chan#e mi#ht have "een the dominant sorption mechanism. The zeolite seemed to have some fairly #ood potential for ammonia removal !ith the sorption capacity "ein# a"out 4 mmol (NH4+) per .(( # of sor"ent. Ho!ever$ this needs to "e investi#ated further throu#h flo!'throu#h conditions and in the presence of other ions as in real !aste!ater. Key words4 zeolite$ aluminosilicate$ sor"ent$ ammonia nitro#en$ sorption$ sor"ate.