Abstract
Objective: Due to the avid interest in devising economically and environmentally viable and readily available materials for pesticide-contaminated water treatment, the effective-ness of clinoptilolite, a natural zeolite, its modified Na-form, as well as ZSM-5, a synthetic zeolite, was investigated for the removal of the fungicide carbendazim from aqueous solutions. Methods: The removal was investigated using batch ad-sorption by mixing zeolite and the carbendazim solution at different contact times. At the end of each experiment, the suspensions were filtered, and the residual concentration of carbendazim in the filtrates was measured using high-per-formance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The experimental results were used to calculate the efficiency of tested zeolite types for the removal of carbendazim from aqueous solu-tions. Results: Synthetic zeolite was highly effective (94.5%) in removal of carbendazim from aqueous solutions when compared to natural zeolite (19.5–23.3%) and its Na-form (22.5–29.0%). However, the residual carbendazim concen-tration for all three zeolites tested was above the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). Conclusion: Zeolite ZSM-5 exhibited outstanding properties for the removal of the carbendazim fungicide from aque-ous solutions; however, high production costs could be a limiting factor for a wider application in water treatment. For practical applications, natural zeolite may be a more economically viable choice, regardless of its significantly lower removal efficiency. Its surface properties would need to be modified and improved by organic surfactants, which would require additional experiments. Finally, the cost-ef-fectiveness of modified natural zeolite should be compared to the production cost of synthetic zeolite to determine the most effective, economically advantageous, and envi-ronmentally friendly solution for the treatment of pesti-cide-contaminated water.
Highlights
Agricultural intensification aided by the irrational use of plant protection products (PPPs), known as pesticides, has contributed environmental pollution and jeopardized natural resources [1]
Carbendazim is an active substance in benzimidazole fungicides [5]
PPPs containing carbendazim have not been approved for use since 2015, their residues still remain detectable in the environment due to their non-biodegradability
Summary
Agricultural intensification aided by the irrational use of plant protection products (PPPs), known as pesticides, has contributed environmental (air, soil, and water) pollution and jeopardized natural resources [1]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, carbendazim is a hazardous chemical and one of the major contaminants in food, soil, and water [9]. It may have a mutagenic effect on health, cause liver toxicity, and affect estrogen production [8]. PPPs containing carbendazim have not been approved for use since 2015, their residues still remain detectable in the environment due to their non-biodegradability It is, crucial to develop effective and economically viable methods for removing pesticides from the environment, especially from water for human consumption and irrigation. The obtained results may contribute to the development of effective, environmentally and economically viable methods of pesticide-contaminated water treatment
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