Raw Zeolite Research Articles

Heat Activated Zeolite for the Reduction of Ammoniacal Nitrogen, Colour, and COD in Landfill Leachate

Landfills are the main option for waste disposal all over the world. Most of the landfill sites across the world are old and are not engineered well to prevent contamination of the underlying soil and groundwater by the toxic leachate. The present study examines the potential use of raw zeolite and heated activated zeolite in the reduction of COD, NH3-N, and colour from leachate. Zeolite was activated using different temperatures at 150 °C, 200 °C, and 250 °C for 3 h. General characterization was conducted for raw zeolite and heat-activated zeolite to investigate the influence of temperature on zeolite properties. Batch experiments were conducted at the optimum dosage of zeolite and pH. Results demonstrated that the optimum dosage of raw zeolite was 10 g with 53.1%, 22.5% and 46% reduction of NH3-N, COD, and colour, respectively. The optimum pH for NH3-N was 7 with a percentage removal of 55.8% while better reduction of COD and colour was obtained at pH 4 with a percentage removal of 24.3% and 73.8%, respectively. Also, the optimum temperature tested was at 150 °C, where the optimum dosage using activated zeolite heated at 150 °C was 10 g, resulted in the maximum reduction of NH3-N, COD, and colour of 45.1%, 11.8% and 43.7%, respectively. The optimum dosage of activated zeolite heated at 200 °C and 250 °C, which was 25 g. This indicates that the use of the activated zeolite heated at 150 °C can achieve the optimum removal at a lower cost which is applicable for a larger scale of wastewater treatment. In addition, it was found that the capacity of the zeolite before and after heat activation was 41.30 cmol/kg and 181.90 cmol/kg, respectively. The adsorption isotherm analysis reveals that both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were in agreement with experimental data. However, the Freundlich isotherm model was more favourable than Langmuir isotherm to evaluate the adsorption equilibrium of the three pollutants as verified by the high R2 values.

CoB doped acid modified zeolite catalyst for enhanced hydrogen release from sodium borohydride hydrolysis

Cobalt-boron (CoB) catalyst supported on zeolite modified with hydrochloric acid (CoB-zeolite-HCl) and zeolite modified with acetic acid (CoB-zeolite-CH3COOH) is prepared for the hydrogen (H2) release from sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The supported catalyst samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption and, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The effects of Co metal loading, NaBH4 concentration, NaOH concentration, temperature, and reusability on the catalytic performance of the CoB-zeolite-HCl catalyst were investigated. The completion time of the reaction using the raw zeolite supported CoB catalyst was about 265 min. However, the completion time of the reaction using the CoB-zeolite-HCl catalyst was decreased to about 80 min. BET surface area values showed that there is a 7-fold increase in the specific surface area for the zeolite activated with HCl compared to the BET surface area for the raw zeolite. The activation energy (Ea) of the catalyzed reaction was 42.45 kJ mol−1.

LOW ENERGY BACTERIA PRESERVATION OF EXTREMELY HALOPHILIC ARCHAEA HALOFERAX LUCENTENSE AND HALOFERAX CHUDINOVII IMMOBILIZED USING NATURAL ZEOLITE

The methods of microbial cells preservation were already known by liquid drying, freeze-drying, and freezing. Those methods could preserve bacteria cells in a long period of time but its survivability was relatively low and used relatively high energy during preservation. Immobilization was known as entrapping, attaching or encapsulating bacterial cells in a suitable matrix. This research was conducted to know the suitability of zeolite as immobilization carrier and also as preservation matrix of two halophilic archaea Haloferax chudinovii and Haloferax lucentense. Variable of this research was the type of the carrier which was raw zeolite, 110oC and 300oC heat-activated zeolite carrier, parameters measured in this study was physical and chemical of zeolite such as chemical content, Si/Al ratio, surface area and pore volume, and biochemical assay, bacterial cells numbers after immobilization and bacterial cells after preservation as bacterial response to the immobilization and preservation. Heat activation was significantly affecting the chemical composition, carrier surface area, and pore volume. Highest surface area, pore volume, and Si/Al ratio were obtained in 110oC pretreated zeolite followed by 300oC pretreated zeolite. The bacterial cells obtained after immobilization process was 1,8x107 cfu/g, 3,0 x 107 cfu/g, and 2,1x107 for raw zeolite, 110oC pretreated zeolite and 300oC zeolite respectively. After 4 months preservation, the slight reduction of the bacterial cells was observed. Immobilization halophilic archaeae using zeolite as carrier was proven as low cost and effective preservation method due to relatively simple process and unspecific preservation temperature requirements.

Changes in the structure, crystallinity, morphology and adsorption property of gamma-irradiated Philippine natural zeolites

Gamma-irradiation of raw, Na-exchanged, NaOH-, and HCl-modified Philippine natural zeolites (PNZ) have been performed at different irradiation doses. XRD, FTIR, and SEM were used to observe the changes in the structure, crystallinity, and morphology of the zeolite samples. The exposure to γ-rays causes varying effects for raw and chemically modified zeolites with non-linear dependence on the irradiation dose. Irradiation results in a general reduction of unit cell volumes of the component zeolites. At low γ-irradiation dose (≤ 400 kGy), raw and NaOH-modified zeolites, experience an improvement in the crystallinity. Higher irradiation dose (700 kGy) leads to structural degradation. In contrast, the crystallinity of HCl-modified zeolites slightly diminishes at a lower dose but improves at a higher dose. On one hand, the exposure to γ-radiation at a dose level of 400 kGy generally degrades the crystal structure of Na-exchanged raw zeolites. Further, adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate how γ-radiation affects the Cu2+ sorption property of zeolites for possible applications in heavy metal decontamination in the semiconductor industry.

Performance and mechanism of estrone (E1) and 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) removal from aqueous solution using hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) modified zeolites

Modified zeolites (MZs) were prepared by loading different concentrations of hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) solution: 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mmol/L onto raw zeolites (RZ) that were then used as adsorbents to remove estrogen contaminants from water. The RZ and MZs were characterized by FTIR, BET, SEM and Zeta potential tests, which proved that the HDTMA had been successfully loaded into the zeolites and did not alter the structure of the mineral. Loading the HDTMA into the zeolites changed their surface properties from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which increased their adsorption capacity for the estrogens E1 and E2. The adsorption equilibrium data of the MZs were found to conform to the Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption kinetic data were found to obey a pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption mechanism was dominated by distribution effects, combined with surface adsorption. Batch experiments were conducted using the MZs as a function of contact time, initial estrogen concentration, temperature, pH and natural organic matter. The experimental results indicated that low initial concentration, low temperature, and low pH in the range of 5.0–7.0 were favorable for adsorption of E1 and E2. As a result, MZs were concluded to be effective adsorbents for the removal of estrogen contaminants from wastewater.

Postharvest Treatment of Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val Adults with Commercial Biopesticides

Within the context of the harmful side-effects of chemical pest control applications, the present study investigated the insecticidal effect of three commercial biopesticides, the fungal Metab (Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae) and Lecan (Lecanicillium lecanii), as well as raw zeolite, against Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), also known as the confused flour beetle. To this end, we sprayed Tribolium confusum adults with suspensions of the said biopesticides, at three different dosages (250 ppm, 500 ppm, and 1000 ppm) on Avena sativa L. and Linum usitatissimum L. hull and no hull seeds. The data were analyzed in terms of three- and four-way ANOVA model, and the overall survival was determined while using the Kaplan–Meier method. The mortality of Tribolium confusum adults was recorded and analyzed in correlation with the following parameters: dose, product (seed), days, and treatment as factors. At the end of the experiment, all of the biopesticides were effectively pathogenic, but there was variation in their effectiveness in terms of the T. confusum mortality that they caused, depending on the product (seed). The type of seed can play a role in the pathogenicity or effectiveness of the biopesticides. Additionally, our results showed that the mortality percentage was dependent on the dose and treatment of the commercial biopesticides.

Phosphorus Removal Performance and Mechanism of Modified Zeolite Using Alum Sludge Acidified Extraction Liquid

To improve the capacity for phosphorus removal and to reduce the cost of treatment, alum sludge from a water supply plant was obtained to prepare modified zeolite coated with layered double hydroxide (LDHs), which was synthesized using an acidified extraction liquid. The surface characteristics and chemical composition of raw zeolites, Al-Zn modified zeolites, and alum sludge modified zeolites were determined, and the isothermal adsorption and adsorption kinetics were analyzed. The performance and mechanism of phosphorus removal by the alum sludge modified zeolites were evaluated. The results showed that the optimum conditions for acidification extraction were 60 min treatment time, 150 r·min-1, and pH 1.0, which achieved 77 mg aluminum extraction rate per gram of alum sludge. Compared to raw zeolites, the maximum saturated adsorption capacity and the desorption performance of the zeolites were significantly increased by this modification. In addition, the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of alum sludge modified zeolites was increased from 30.24 mg·kg-1 to 170.40 mg·kg-1. The modification changed the main mode of phosphate adsorption by zeolite from physical adsorption to chemical adsorption. Alum sludge modification could improve the efficiency of phosphate adsorption and the regeneration capacity of zeolite, which could reduce the risk of water eutrophication caused by high phosphate concentrations, and could achieve the purpose of waste control by waste.

Untapped potential of zeolites in optimization of food waste composting

This study aims to examine the effect of zeolites in optimizing the process of food waste composting. A novel method of sequential hydrothermal was introduced to modify the natural zeolite and apply to in-vessel compost bioreactors. Raw and modified natural zeolites were applied at 10 and 15% (w/w) of the total waste and compared with un-amended control trial. Both raw and modified zeolites affected the composting process, but the notable results were observed for modified natural zeolite. The results for compost stability parameters were prominent at 15% modified natural zeolite concentration. The rapid and long-term thermophillic temperature and moisture content reduction to the optimum range was observed for modified natural zeolite. Furthermore, the total ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) concentration in modified natural zeolite were increased by 11.1 and 21.5% respectively as compared to raw zeolite. Compost stability against moisture contents (MC), electrical conductivity (EC), organic matters (OM), total carbon (TC), mineral nitrogen, nitrification index (NI) and germination index (GI) was achieved after 60 days of composting that was in accordance with the international compost quality standards. The findings of this study suggested the suitability of modified natural zeolite addition at 15% to the total waste as the optimum ratio for the composting of food waste in order to achieve a stable nutrient-rich compost.

Clinoptilolite foams prepared by alkali activation of natural zeolite and their post-synthesis modifications

Abstract Alkaline activated aluminosilicate materials have been studied mainly in the building industry as a substitute for concretes, ceramic materials and thermal insulations, but their properties predispose them to much greater use in the chemical industry. The aim of this study is to determine whether the alkaline activated natural zeolites can be modified to obtain a suitable chemical and textural properties for catalyst supports or sorbents. The alkaline activated natural zeolites with the clinoptilolite structure were foamed using Al powder and H2O2 solution. The prepared foam pellets were post-synthetically modified by HCl leaching and analyzed to compare their properties by XRF, XRD, N2 physisorption, Hg porosimetry, DRIFT, TGA, SEM and the cutting-edge strength methods. The analysis showed that the clinoptilolite structure of the basic raw zeolite was partially preserved and porous materials had sufficient strength, a density of about 0.8 g/cm3 and a specific surface area up to 160 m2/g making them suitable as catalyst supports or sorbents.

Catalytic ozonation process using CuO/clinoptilolite zeolite for the removal of formaldehyde from the air stream

The combined application of ozone and various sorbent/zeolites has been extensively investigated as an effective advanced oxidation processes to eliminate poorly biodegradable organic pollutants and/or toxic compounds. In this work, copper oxide/clinoptilolite zeolite was synthesized and its performance in a catalytic ozonation process (COP) was investigated for the removal of formaldehyde from an air stream. BET measurements showed that the specific surface area of the raw zeolite sample was 15.78 m2/g, which increased to 81.67 m2/g in zeolite–CuO. SEM images confirmed good fixation and distribution of CuO on the different points of the zeolite. The formaldehyde decomposition time in the COP using unmodified zeolite occurred at 80, 30, and 10 min at 10, 50, and 80 ppm initial concentrations of formaldehyde, respectively. Using copper-coated zeolite, it occurred at 13, 3.3 and 1.3 h, respectively. It appears as if this increase in yield with copper-coated zeolite can be due to the catalytic properties of copper oxide which give the absorbent its oxidizing property. Overall, it can be concluded that clinoptilolite zeolite is effective for the removal of formaldehyde by COP from the air stream. If natural zeolite is modified with copper oxide, it can provide an effective method for the removal of this pollutant from the air stream. The combination of clinoptilolite with copper oxide catalyst in the COP can be used in future studies to remove more VOC with considerable efficiency.

CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF NATURAL ZEOLITE AS A POZZOLANIC MATERIAL

This paper presents details about mineralogical and chemical composition of natural zeolite (NZ) from Harrat Shama for using it as a pozzolanic material. The structural properties and mineralogical composition of NZ were determined using XRF, XRD, FTIR, DSC, SEM-EDX as well as study surface texture and cation exchange capacity. The geopolymer paste was prepared using sodium silicate solution as activator for zeolite and incubated at 25 and 45 oC up to 90 days. The compressive strength of NZ-based geopolymer was investigated up to 90 days. Five blended cement were designed by substitution for Portland cement by 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 % and 20% of NZ. The compressive strength of NZ-OPC pastes were studied up to 90 days. The microstructure of NZ-Based geopolymer and hydrated NZ-cement pastes were tested. The results were shown that the sum of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 content in the natural zeolite was approximately 82.71.3% and mainly composed of clinoptilolite mineral. Geopolymerization of NZ gave a good dense geopolymer matrix with high early stage mechanical properties. The NZ has shown improving early stage compressive strength of all blended cement pastes up to 7 days. The incorporation of nature raw zeolite in cement, up to 10% wt, improved the compressive strength to 7-29%. Generally, Saudi Arabian natural zeoilite (NZ) have high pozzolanic properties and could be used in the preparation of geopolymers matrix and blended cement pastes.

A comparative study on the removal of pentachlorophenol using copper-impregnated pumice and zeolite

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is one of the phenolic compounds, which has been identified in the categories of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) because of its high resistance and toxicity. This work studied pentachlorophenol removal from aqueous solutions through modificated pumice and zeolite with copper. The effect of operational parameters such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage, effect of particle size and effect of impregnation on the removal of pentachlorophenol was investigated. The results showed that the highest removal efficiency in pH = 6.0, pentachlorophenol concentration of 100 mg/L and optimum adsorbent dose of 0.4 g/L and 0.5 g/L were 92 and 96% for pumice and zeolite modified with copper respectively. Equilibrium time of 100 min in the modified pumice and zeolite and the Langmuir adsorption model can be used for sorption behavior in the both systems. The removal efficiency and absorption capacity increased with increasing the pumice and zeolite modified with copper. Compositional characteristic properties of zeolites of raw zeolites and raw pumice and modified with copper using XRF and SEM-EDX analysis determined. Due to low cost, possibility of easy to preparation materials such as zeolite and pumice stones, they can used in the catalyst stabilizes, as well as the basis for consolidation of different materials to remove contaminants from water and wastewater recommended.

Cyanide removal study by raw and iron-modified synthetic zeolites in batch adsorption experiments

The environmental concerns for treating cyanide-containing wastewater via adsorption technology has been advancing which resulting in the need for a robust yet simple method. Synthetic zeolite was used as a suitable adsorbent for cyanide removal due to its excellent surface properties. In this study, the modification of zeolite was made by iron doping to trigger a better adsorption performance. Then, the comparison between the effectiveness of each zeolite follows subsequently. SEM, XRD, and BET analyses were employed to study the adsorbents characteristics. Cyanide uptake experiments were conducted by a batch technique for certain contact times at room temperature, while adsorbent dose and agitation speed were set constant. The results showed that before the equilibrium, iron-doped zeolite removed 20% more cyanide by following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model than raw zeolite which fits the pseudo-first-order model. Langmuir model was better in describing the adsorption behavior of cyanide onto iron-modified synthetic zeolite. The maximum uptake capacity of cyanide onto iron-zeolite was known as 33.978 mg g−1.

Characterization of the products obtained from alkaline conversion of tuff and metakaolin

Currently, there has been a growing interest of zeolite materials for industrial and scientific purpose. Synthetic zeolites are more often used than natural ones due to its higher purity and more uniform particle sizes. Numerous investigations are conducted in searching of inexpensive raw materials suitable for zeolite synthesis. Moreover, the temperature, pressure, times and SiO2/Al2O3 ratio are the most important parameters which play key roles in the synthesis processes. Due to such a large number of factors that affect the process, zeolite synthesis has been undergoing constant development. Nowadays, researchers focus on the methods of synthesizing zeolites at ambient temperature and pressure. Metakaolin and tuff are natural raw materials which can be turned into a brand new class of synthetic zeolites. However, each requires different method of synthesis in order to obtain a material with best physical properties. This paper discusses the process of alkaline activation of synthetic zeolites from natural raw materials: volcanic tuff excavated in Filipowice and metakaolin obtained from Rominco company. Two methods: fusion and low-temperature synthesis, were used in the presented research. Moreover, the physical properties of raw materials and zeolites obtained were shown. Based on the XRD analysis, it was verified that materials after the synthesis process contained zeolites A, Na-X and faujasite-Na. Furthermore, the dehydration and thermal decomposition phenomena of the tuff and metakaolin before and after the synthesis process were determined by coupled TG/MS techniques.

Zeolite modification for adsorptive removal of nitrite from aqueous solutions

Considering the occurrence of nitrite in drinking water sources, this paper investigated the modification of natural zeolite by acid, base, salt, organic surfactant, calcination and ultrasonication for eliminating nitrite from aqueous solutions. The structural and surface properties were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, and were used to explain the nitrite adsorption capacities of the zeolites. The results show that except acid modification, the rest measures did not impose notable influences on the zeolite properties. Modification of zeolite by acids markedly increased the specific surface area and strongly protonated the material, which greatly favored the nitrite adsorption onto the resulting zeolite. The adsorption isotherms were in good agreement with Langmuir-Freundlich models, and indicated an endothermic process. At 25 °C, the nitrite adsorption capacity of the zeolite modified by 0.75 mol L−1 of H2SO4 for 12 h (ACMZ) was 54.5 mg N g−1, being over 7-fold higher than that by the raw zeolite. The adsorption of nitrite onto ACMZ followed pseudo-first order kinetics. These facts suggest that the uptake of nitrite by acid modified zeolite was a chemical adsorption in nature.

Zr-modified hierarchical mordenite as heterogeneous catalyst for glycerol esterification

Hierarchical mordenite catalysts were prepared by HF and NH4F etching. Materials' zirconia modification was performed by incipient wetness impregnation in order to vary surface acidity type and strength. XRD, N2 physisorption, solid-state NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopies were applied for characterization. Acidic properties of the obtained materials were investigated by TPD of adsorbed ammonia and FT-IR spectra of adsorbed pyridine. Catalytic performance was studied for the glycerol esterification with acetic acid. Zr increased reaction turnover activity compared to raw zeolite substrate due to abundant Brönsted and Lewis moiety presence. The demonstrated biomass valorization processes to bio-based platform chemicals are of interest, as they employ biodiesel production waste.

Removal of calcium and magnesium ions from shale gas flowback water by chemically activated zeolite.

Shale gas has become a new sweet spot of global oil and gas exploration, and the large amount of flowback water produced during shale gas extraction is attracting increased attention. Internal recycling of flowback water for future hydraulic fracturing is currently the most effective, and it is necessary to decrease the content of divalent cations for eliminating scaling and maintaining effectiveness of friction reducer. Zeolite has been widely used as a sorbent to remove cations from wastewater. This work was carried out to investigate the effects of zeolite type, zeolite form, activation chemical, activation condition, and sorption condition on removal of Ca2+ and Mg2+ from shale gas flowback water. Results showed that low removal of Ca2+ and Mg2+ was found for raw zeolite 4A and zeolite 13X, and the efficiency of the mixture of both zeolites was slightly higher. Compared with the raw zeolites, the zeolites after activation using NaOH and NaCl greatly improved the sorption performance, and there was no significant difference between dynamic activation and static activation. Dynamic sorption outperformed static sorption, the difference exceeding 40% and 7-70% for removal of Ca2+ and Mg2+, respectively. Moreover, powdered zeolites outperformed granulated zeolites in divalent cation removal.

Geopolymer materials based on natural zeolite

One of the potential raw materials for preparation of geopolymers is the natural zeolite. In the present report, the used natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) is from huge deposit near Beli Plast, Bulgaria. Geopolymer pastes and mortars are prepared by using three different alkaline activators—sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate and sodium carbonate. The hardened geopolymers are tested for determination of mechanical properties by traditional standardized methods. The structure and the composition of the materials are studied by direct physical methods—X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (DTA and TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show variable degree of dissolutions of the raw zeolite material when using different activators and formation of solid geopolymer materials with qualitatively different structure. Despite its relatively low compressive strength, geopolymers based on natural zeolite cured at room temperature and used as coating, show very good adhesion to concrete.

Synthesis, application and evaluation of non-sintered zeolite porous filter (ZPF) as novel filter media in biological aerated filters (BAFs)

A zeolite porous filter (ZPF) was prepared using mixed raw zeolite, cement, and aluminum powder through steam curing and used as a novel filter medium in biological aerated filter (BAF). The performances of ZPF and commercially available ceramsite (CAC) in two laboratory scale upflow BAFs were compared. Results showed that the interconnected porous structure of ZPF was conducive to microbial biofilm growth. ZPF featured a total porosity of 29.55%, a compressive strength of 41–47N, and a specific surface area of 59.53m2/g. BAF containing ZPF showed more effectively the removal of organic carbon, ammonia nitrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus compared to BAF containing CAC. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 7h at an air/water (A/W) ratio of 3:1. The amounts of total nitrogen removed were 59.89% with ZPF and 35.96% with CAC. Moreover, the amount of phosphorus removed was 83.80% with ZPF, whereas that of CAC was only 31.50%. ZPF was more suitable for the attached growth of heterobacteria and nitrobacteria to attain simultaneous nitrification and denitrification performance in the BAF. Therefore, ZPF is a novel suitable filter medium for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in BAFs.

Effect of Raw and NH4+-enriched Zeolite on Nitrogen Uptake by Wheat and Nitrogen Leaching in Soils with Different Textures

ABSTRACTLeaching of nutrients in soil can change the surface and groundwater quality. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of raw and ammonium (NH4+)-enriched zeolite on nitrogen leaching and wheat yields in sandy loam and clay loam soils. The treatments were one level of nitrogen; Z0: (100 kg (N) ha−1) as urea, two levels of raw zeolite; Z1:(0.5 g kg−1 + 100 kg ha−1) and Z2: (1 g kg−1 + 100 kg ha−1), and two levels of NH4+-enriched zeolite; Z3: (0.5 g kg−1 + 80 kg ha−1) and Z4: (1 g kg−1 + 60 kg ha−1). Wheat grains were sown in pots and, after each irrigation event, the leachates were collected and their nitrate (NO3−) and NH4+ contents were determined. The grain yield and the total N in plants were measured after four months of wheat growth. The results indicated that the amounts of NH4+ and NO3− leached from the sandy loam soil were more than those from the clay loam soil in all irrigation events. The maximum and minimum concentrations of nitrogen in the drainage water for both soils were observed at control and NH4+-zeolite treatments, respectively. Total N in the plants grown in the sandy loam was higher compared to plants grown in clay loam soil. Also, nitrogen uptake by plants in control and NH4+-zeolite was higher than that of raw-zeolite treatments. The decrease in the amount of N leaching in the presence of NH4+-zeolite caused more N availability for plants and increased the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers and the plants yield.