Worldwide Research Analysis on Natural Zeolites as Environmental Remediation Materials

Fernando Morante-Carballo,Kelly Jácome-Francis,Néstor Montalván-Burbano,Paúl Carrión-Mero

doi:10.3390/su13116378

Fernando Morante-Carballo, Kelly Jácome-Francis + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116378

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Abstract

Society faces a significant problem in regards to the spread of harmful products in the environment, primarily caused by accelerated growth and resource consumption. Consequently, there is a need for materials to be processed in less harmful ways and to remedy the contaminated sources they generate. Microporous materials have been studied for a long time and are used in waste treatment alternatives. Natural zeolites, on which this study is based, are attractive to the scientific and technological communities, due to their numerous applications as decontaminants and adsorption properties. This study analyzes the intellectual structures of publications related to natural zeolites in environmental remediation, using bibliometric methods to determine their volumes and trends. The methodology comprises of an analysis based on 1582 articles, using VOSviewer software, with data from 1974 to 2020, via the Scopus database. Results reflect a notable increase in publications from the end of the 1990s; the greatest contribution in the area comes from Eurasian countries. The study considers that development in this line of research will continue to increase and serve as a great contribution to preserve the environment in coming years, with themes that focus on water treatment (e.g., drinking water, wastewater, greywater), removal of heavy metals, ammonium, ammonia, and construction.

Highlights

Soil and water pollution have increased in recent decades [1] due to human activities
The Scopus database was selected because: (i) it is considered one of the largest databases with comprehensive coverage of documents in most academic disciplines [57,58]; (ii) it provides more excellent coverage compared to other databases [59]; (iii) it provides excellent coverage of journals related to earth sciences [60]; and (iv) it provides tools that allow data visualization and analysis [61]
Unlike synthetic zeolites, which are pure, and make natural zeolites (NZ) less efficient, but that, due to the cation exchange capacity, can be modified

Summary

Introduction

Soil and water pollution have increased in recent decades [1] due to human activities (i.e., demand and consumption to meet growing population needs). The discharge of harmful pollutants into the environment, such as mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cobalt (Co), can (directly or indirectly) cause numerous diseases and disorders [2]. Prolonged exposure or bioaccumulation of these agents [3] threaten food sources, nature, and health [4]. In order to preserve our environment, researchers seek materials and methods that counteract adverse environmental effects. Natural zeolites were discovered more than years ago [6], and are studied due to their peculiar characteristics; for example, more than 20,000 articles and 2000 patents have been published on these materials to date [7]

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