Zeolite Materials Research Articles

Comparative evaluation of interzeolite transformed Beta-type metallosilicates for catalytic conversion of glucose

We synthesized the cobalt-, zinc-, and stannosilicates Beta-type zeolitic materials (Co-, Zn-, and Sn-BEA) via the interzeolite transformation of the same metallosilicate MWWs. All Me-BEAs clearly showed a Beta structure, but some other properties differed according to the type of heteroatoms. Compared with the coordination environments of metal species, while Co- and Zn-BEA comprised only the framework metal with different proportions of intermediate and isolated Me2+, Sn-BEA contained the SnO2 as well as the framework Sn. In addition, Sn-BEA exhibited a more developed hydroxyl group compared with the other two Me-BEAs. Thus, the concentrations of Lewis and Brønsted acid sites were as follows: Zn-BEA > Co-BEA > Sn-BEA and Sn-BEA > Co-BEA > Zn-BEA. When these metallosilicate catalysts were applied to the cascade conversion of glucose, all Me-BEAs resulted in the production of fructose and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural depending on the physicochemical properties, such as structural stability and Brønsted and Lewis acidities.

Preventing Dissolution of Cathode Active Materials by Ion‐anchoring Zeolite‐based Separators for Durable Aqueous Zinc Batteries**

AbstractAqueous zinc batteries have emerged as promising energy storage devices due to their safety and low cost. However, they face challenges such as anodic dendrite formation and cathodic compound dissolution. Here, we present the development of a polymer‐matrixed zeolite separator (SZ) by synthesizing zeolite materials on a flexible polymeric membrane. This separator acts as an effective ionic barrier, preventing the leaching and shuttling of vanadium from the cathode, while significantly inhibiting the formation of by‐products and zinc dendrites. The SZ cells demonstrate stable operation for more than 400 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, with an initial capacity of 375.4 mAh g−1, and over 10,000 cycles at 15 A g−1. Notably, when pre‐anchored with vanadium ions, the SZ‐V cells exhibited excellent capacity retention of up to 94.6 % over 1000 cycles. The SZ separator featuring an ion barrier represents a crucial advancement towards the commercialization of zinc storage devices.

Preventing Dissolution of Cathode Active Materials by Ion-anchoring Zeolite-based Separators for Durable Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

Aqueous zinc batteries have emerged as promising energy storage devices due to their safety and low cost. However, they face challenges such as anodic dendrite formation and cathodic compound dissolution. Here, we present the development of a polymer-matrixed zeolite separator (SZ) by synthesizing zeolite materials on a flexible polymeric membrane. This separator acts as an effective ionic barrier, preventing the leaching and shuttling of vanadium from the cathode, while significantly inhibiting the formation of by-products and zinc dendrites. The SZ cells demonstrate stable operation for more than 400 cycles at 0.5 A g-1 , with an initial capacity of 375.4 mAh g-1 , and over 10,000 cycles at 15 A g-1 . Notably, when pre-anchored with vanadium ions, the SZ-V cells exhibited excellent capacity retention of up to 94.6 % over 1000 cycles. The SZ separator featuring an ion barrier represents a crucial advancement towards the commercialization of zinc storage devices.

Nature and Redox Properties of Iron Sites in Zeolites Revealed by Mössbauer Spectroscopy.

Iron-containing zeolite-based catalysts play a pivotal role in environmental processes aimed at mitigating the release of harmful greenhouse gases, such as nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). Despite the rich iron chemistry in zeolites, only a fraction of iron species that exhibit an open coordination sphere and possess the ability for electron transfer are responsible for activating reagents. In addition, the splitting of molecular oxygen is facilitated by bare iron cations embedded in zeolitic matrices. Mössbauer spectroscopy is the ideal tool for investigating the valency and geometry of iron species in zeolites because it leaves no iron forms silent and provides insights into in-situ processes. This review is dedicated to the utilization of Mössbauer spectroscopy to elucidate the nature of the extra-framework iron centers in ferrierite (FER), beta-structured (*BEA), and ZSM-5 zeolite (MFI) zeolites, which are active in N2O decomposition and CH4 oxidation through using the active oxygen derived from N2O and O2. In this work, a structured summary of the Mössbauer parameters established over the last two decades is presented, characterizing the specific iron active centers and intermediates formed upon iron's interaction with N2O/O2 and CH4. Additionally, the impact of preparation methods, iron loading, and the long-term stability on iron speciation and its redox behavior under reaction conditions is discussed.

Purification of wastewater from heavy metal ions using nanostructured adsorbents

The activities of industrial enterprises in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy and other industries lead to environmental pollution with wastewater containing harmful substances that, even in small quantities, have a rather serious negative impact on human health and the state of the biosphere. There are a large number of natural sorbents used to solve water treatment problems. Among inorganic sorption materials, zeolites are widely used in practice. These natural materials have thermal and radiation stability and high selectivity. The purpose of this article is to study the sorption capacity of zeolites modified with nanostructured rare metals in several ways, with different options for activating the matrix to improve sorption properties with respect to ions of heavy and non-ferrous metals. Based on the experiments conducted, it was proven that zeolites modified with vanadium and titanium nanocompounds are highly effective in removing heavy metal ions from wastewater. The resulting composition on a zeolite matrix creates a highly dispersed solid phase of nanoparticles in the form of a sol-gel. Such systems have an excess of energy, which leads to increased reactivity and adsorbing properties. It is obvious that the activation of zeolites makes it possible to obtain a wider range of active centers of different nature. This determines the varied use of zeolites in the technological system for treating wastewater from heavy and non-ferrous metal ions, which will make it possible to achieve MPC standards.

Study of the Influence of the Process Parameters in the Characteristics of Silver‐loaded Zeolite Complexes

AbstractZeolite has a great capacity of adsorption and ion exchange. Silver ions are impregnated into the zeolite matrix by ion exchange, which results in the formation of an antimicrobial complex. By using a factorial design, this study explores the influence of pH, temperature, and silver nitrate concentration on the characteristics of ZeAg complexes. The ZeAg8 complex, produced with the factors of [AgNO3] of 4000 mg/L, pH 5 and T 45 °C showed promising results, showing antimicrobial activity, and maintained an original crystalline structure of the zeolite after the experimental conditions. Experimental design analysis showed that lower pH and temperature favored larger particle diameter and induce disruption of the crystalline structure of the zeolite. Silver ions impregnation into zeolite under specific conditions create a potential antimicrobial complex for wound dressings, promoting tissue regeneration and healing while preventing potential complications associated with silver treatment.

Silver-impregnated zeolitized tuffs for environmental degradation of ozone

The natural zeolites were ultrasonically treated and impregnated with silver nanoparticles. The surface stabilized silver nanoparticles dispersion was obtained using an effective electrochemical reduction method. The phase and elemental composition, structure of the Ag-impregnated zeolites (clinoptilolite and mordenite) was studied by various methods such as powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence analyses and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The Ag-impregnated clinoptilolite and mordenite natural zeolite materials with 1.20 wt %, 0.97 wt %, 0.83 wt % and 1.18 wt % silver content were established by XRF analysis. As initial materials were used three types clinoptilolite from Beli Plast, Most, Golobradovo (Kardzhali, Bulgaria) deposits and mordenite from Lyaskovets deposit in Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria. The catalytic ability of Ag-mordenite and Ag-clinoptilolites was investigated in the ecologically important reaction of ozone decomposition. The Ag-loaded mordenite demonstrates the higher conversion degree of ozone more than 40% in comparison with Ag-clinoptilolite materials at room temperature.

Cerium Containing Siliceous MCM-22: Preparation, Characterization and its Potential Application towards Oxidation of Isoeugenol to Vanillin

Aim: Preparation of cerium containing silicious MCM-22 zeolite material and explore its application for biomass conversion. Background: Zeolites and zeolite like microporous materials are well known as potential heterogeneous acid catalysts, whose discovery has made a significant impact in the petroleum, petrochemical and fine chemical industries. In recent years, zeolite, zeolites like molecular sieves, and inorganic oxide-based heterogeneous catalysts played a significant role in biomass valorization to receive value-added chemicals. Thus we focused on utilization of zeolite for biomass transformation. Objective: Preparation of cerium containing aluminium-free siliceous MCM-22 (AF-CeMCM- 22) by the in-situ hydrothermal method and explore its importance on biomass transformation. Methods: Powder XRD, FTIR and BET surface area were used to study the microstructure of the samples. SEM and FE-SEM were used to study morphology, TGA was used to evaluate the thermal stability, and 29Si NMR and DR-UV-Vis were used to study the environment of the MCM-22 framework. The prepared and confirmed material was used for the oxidation of levulinic acid over the liquid phase setup. Gas chromatography was used to evaluate the catalytic study, such as conversion and selectivity; also, GCMS was used for the confirmation of products. Results: The powder XRD pattern showed well distinguish MCM-22 framework structure with a uniform dispersion of cerium ions in the MCM-22 framework. SEM image of the cerium AFCeMCM- 22 showed platelet structure having flaky spherical morphology and the surface area in the range of about 175 m2g−1. 29Si NMR and DR-UV-Vis studies confirmed the well-condensed nature of the MCM-22 silica framework and the cerium ions present in both tetrahedral and octahedral extra-framework environments. Conclusion: The catalyst developed in the present studies was found to be a promising catalyst for the conversion of iso-eugenol to vanillin at 60°C, using H2O2 oxidant with the vanillin selectivity of 71 %.

DFT study on zeolites’ intrinsic Brønsted acidity: The case of BEA

Since Brønsted acidity is a crucial aspect for the applications of zeolitic materials in heterogeneous catalysis, great effort was devolved to characterize the number, strength and location of the potentially active acidic sites. Quantum chemical calculations can turn out essential in estimating the intrinsic acidity by computing deprotonation energy (DPE) values, although each method comes with its own difficulties. In this context, three approaches within density functional theory were employed to study the intrinsic acidity of 30 topologically distinct Brønsted sites in the β-zeolite framework. Advantages and disadvantages of the three methods were outlined and the acidity order between the sites was assessed, being the DPE range 59 kJ mol−1 wide, with the proposed best approach. By dividing the range into three portions, the sites were classified as having high, medium and low acidity. Hydrogen bonds formation was found to be a contributing factor in determining a low Brønsted acidity.

Sodalite zeolitic materials produced from coal fly ash for removal of congo red dye from aqueous solutions

Coal fly ash (CFA) is an excellent source of silica–alumina precursor that can be used for the copious and continuous manufacturing of zeolitic materials. This study provides a novel strategy to prepare zeolitic sodalite from CFA as adsorbents for Congo red (CR) dye removal under variable conditions. Sodalite crystals (S) were prepared by a calcination of sodium–aluminum silicate derived from CFA in either absence or presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant (CTAB-S). SEM, XRD, FTIR, and N2 adsorption measurements were demonstrated. XRD results confirmed the presence of mullite and quartz as main components in CFA which converted to sodalite phases after calcination in existence of CTAB. SEM revealed that agglomerated larger particles were formed in S sample without adding CTAB, whereas smaller spherical particles aggregated together upon adding CTAB to form zeolitic structure (CTAB-S). FTIR showed the characteristic absorption bands of sodalite related to oxygen-containing Si and Al groups. Batch adsorption isotherm studies were conducted to evaluate the maximum adsorption capacities of S and CTAB-S, which were amounted to be 152.7 and 184.8 mg/g, respectively. Adsorption of CR dye was fitted with Freundlich isotherm. Kinetic results perfectly matched with pseudo-second-order model and intraparticle diffusion. Thermodynamic findings indicated that the adsorption of CR dye over both samples was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. CTAB-S sample showed the best reusable adsorbent, according to reuse experiments employing water as a desorbing agent. Overall, it can be concluded that CFA-derived sodalite can be used as an effective adsorbent for anionic dyes removal from wastewater.

Preparation of micro-mesoporous functionalized zeolites by nanosecond pulsed discharge-amino co-modification for efficient Ni(II) ions removal

The severe adverse impacts of toxic metal ions on ecosystems and human health call for the urgent development of an efficient adsorbent. In this study, a novel micro-mesoporous zeolite material was prepared by nanosecond pulsed discharge-amino co-modification method to selectively adsorb Ni(II) ions. The prepared micro-mesoporous adsorbent exhibited a large specific surface area (1042 m2 g−1) and were rich in -NH2 and -COOH that can produce surface complexation and electrostatic adsorption with Ni(II) ions. The optimal experimental parameters were obtained at 8 min of discharge time, 16 kV of pulse peak voltage, 1 kHz of pulse repetition frequency, and pH = 7. The Ni(II) ions removal efficiency of nanosecond pulsed discharge-amino co-modified MCM-41 reached 98% within 20 min, an increase of 54% and 26% compared to the raw and solo amino modification, respectively. The adsorption processes of Ni(II) ions were well fitted by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models, indicating that the adsorption involves monolayer chemisorption. Despite the presence of other coexisting ions, the prepared zeolites retained their excellent adsorption selectivity for Ni(II) ions. This co-modification method overcomes the drawback of mesopores blockage and further implants micropores in adsorbents, providing a novel idea and broad prospect for adsorbent modification and removal of Ni(II) ions.

Emerging 3D-printed zeolitic gas adsorbents

The development of zeolitic adsorbents is an essential subject of interest in the realm of green chemistry, especially in the aspect of gas adsorption. The intrinsic molecular sieving capacity of zeolites allows them to be widely adopted as effective gas adsorbents. As a layer-by-layer deposition technology, three-dimensional (3D) printing can achieve more complex zeolitic gas adsorbent structures than conventional manufacturing methods by offering flexible freeform construction and controllable 3D structural design. This review article focuses on the recent development of 3D-printed zeolitic gas adsorbents, which integrate advanced zeolitic structures and emerging additive manufacturing technologies for gas absorption. A description of zeolites and their conventional fabrication methods is given for a basic understanding of zeolitic gas adsorbents. 3D printing technologies are also introduced and discussed for the fabrication of zeolitic adsorbents such as monoliths. Next, the recent progress in the fabrication of zeolitic gas adsorbents using 3D printing is illustrated and summarized, which boosts the application of 3D-printed zeolite absorbents in different fields of gas adsorption. Conclusions are given with an outlook on opportunities ahead for future research. It is expected that the development of advanced zeolitic materials and structures for gas adsorption purposes will be significantly accelerated through 3D printing technologies.

Anchoring bimetallic PtAu nanoparticles on hierarchical zeolite as efficient electrocatalyst for the enhancement of ethanol electrooxidation

Zeolite materials as nanoreactor are promising candidates as catalysts for the oxidation of alcohol fuels. In the present work, the hierarchical zeolite was prepared via a hydrothermal technique. Then, the bimetallic Pt-Au-zeolite composite as electrocatalysts were synthesized by co-precipitation route. The surface morphology, composition and structure of the resulting composite were investigated by FE-SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, BET&BJH and FT-IR. The catalytic performance of the composite has been examined in ethanol electrooxidation reactions under alkaline media. Pt-Au-zeolite exhibits superior selectivity for the electrooxidation of the ethanol, outperforming both conventional Au and Pt nanoparticles supported on zeolite crystals catalyst. The peak electrooxidation current of ethanol with Pt-Au-zeolite catalyst is 3.63 times that of Pt-zeolite with a scan rate of 50 mVs−1, which is due to the synergistic effect of Au and Pt in zeolite framework. It could be attributed to the incorporation of Au and Pt into zeolite framework, which was beneficial to the charge transferring the surface of Pt-Au-zeolite electrocatalyst and facilitated the ethanol oxidation. Besides, the significant electrochemical activity can be due to the production of OH–, which leads to the species present on the surface of the electrocatalysts during the activation process that controlled by the zeolite framework.

Adsorption and safe immobilization of Sr ions in modified zeolite matrices

In the present study, an Iranian natural zeolite (Sabzevar region) was evaluated as a natural adsorbent for the elimination and immobilization of strontium ions from an aqueous solution. For improving the adsorption efficiency of strontium ion, the zeolite surface was modified by the Schiff base ligand of bis (2-hydroxybenzaldehyde)1,2-diaminoethane (H2L). The natural zeolite and zeolite/H2L were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), BET and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Analysis of the natural zeolite showed that the zeolite is from the type of clinoptilolite and has a crystalline structure with the specific surface area 29.74 m2/g. The results showed that strontium adsorption onto modified zeolite increases compared to unmodified zeolite from 64.5% to 97.2% (at pH = 6). The effective parameters pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration of strontium ions, contact time, temperature, and interfering ions, were studied and optimized. The maximum adsorption efficiency was confirmed by modified zeolite and found to be 97.5% after 60 min of equilibrium time at pH 6, 0.05g as adsorbent dosage, and at 25 °C. Adsorption of strontium was confirmed by Langmuir model with maximum adsorption capacity of 10.31 mg/g. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption of strontium ions on the adsorbent follows pseudo-second-order (PSO) model. Also, the thermodynamics of the adsorption process indicated that the adsorption of strontium on zeolite/H2L is an endothermic and spontaneous process, and the adsorption mechanism is a combination of physical and chemical adsorption. Finally, to manage the secondary waste generated from the adsorption process, strontium ions were immobilized in a zeolite structure. The results showed that the stabilization is well done with the thermal preparation process. After thermal treatment at 25–900 °C, modified zeolite satisfactorily retains strontium during back-exchange tests with NaCl solution. According to the results, the amount of strontium released from the adsorbent phase decreases from 52.6 to 1.6% with increasing heat treatment temperature.

Novel Hybrid ZnO Nanoparticles Entrapped Aqua Zeolite Matrix for Controlled Release of Fertilizer for Sustainable Growth of Plants

Novel Hybrid ZnO Nanoparticles Entrapped Aqua Zeolite Matrix for Controlled Release of Fertilizer for Sustainable Growth of Plants

Fluoride- and Seed-Free Synthesis of Pure-Silica Zeolite Adsorbent and Matrix Using OSDA-Mismatch Approach.

The pure-silica zeolite plays a crucially important role in the gas separation of alkane/alkene, the low-k dielectric material, and the robust matrix for confining metal species during catalysis. However, the environmentally friendly synthesis of pure-silica zeolites is still challenging since (1) the toxic fluoride or dealuminum seeds are inevitably utilized through the hydrothermal synthesis and (2) it will also take a longer crystallization time. Herein, we present an efficient method called the OSDA-mismatch approach for the fluoride- and seed-free synthesis of pure-silica zeolites using Si-SOD (enriched 4-rings) as the sole silica source. This approach allows for the rapid and green synthesis of 15 pure-silica zeolites (CHA, *BEA, EUO, SFF, STF, -SVR, *-SVY, DOH, MTN, NON, *MRE, MEL, MFI, MTW, and *STO). Furthermore, distinct crystallization mechanisms of two significant pure-silica CHA- and *BEA-type zeolites (denoted as Si-CHA and Si-BEA) are investigated in detail by advanced characterization techniques such as FIB, 3D ED, 4D-STEM, HRTEM, Raman, and 29Si MAS NMR. More importantly, Si-CHA displays promising propane/propylene separation performance even better than the one synthesized in the presence of toxic HF. In addition, the incorporation of Zn species within Si-BEA fabricated by this approach also renders superior performance on propane dehydrogenation.

Treatment of radium-bearing brine using various zeolites: NaP1, NaX, clinoptilolite, 3A, 5A, 13X, ZSM-5, SAPO-11, SAPO-34

This paper investigates the possibility of radium removal from brines using zeolites. Radium concentration in collected from hard coal mine water was as follows: 226Ra 3.3 ± 0.2 Bq/L, 228Ra 5.5 ± 0.5 Bq/L. Ten types of zeolites were selected for treatment: clinoptilolite, NaP1, NaX, 3A, 5A, 13X, Y, ZSM-5, SAPO-11, and SAPO-34. Sequential batch purification tests were performed. High efficiencies of radium removal from mine brine achieved with NaP1 and NaX, synthesized from fly ahes, are promising for the further application of obtained zeolitic materials, especially for water treatment. Furthermore, the use of zeolites derived from waste fly ash is an ecological and sustainable solution for environmental protection and remediation.

Neodymium sorption on the Na-form of Transcarpathian clinoptilolite

The sorption properties of Na-modified Ukrainian Transcarpathian clinoptilolite towards neodymium aqueous solutions under dynamic conditions have been investigated. The sorption capacity of the Na-from of Transcarpathian clinoptilolite towards Nd(III) significantly depends on the concentration of neodymium salt, the pH of the solution, and the heat treatment temperature of the sorbent. Nd(III) is most efficiently sorbed from slightly alkaline solutions (pH 8.5), mainly by adsorption of neutral hydrolyzed forms of Nd(OH)3 on the surface of Na-clinoptilolite samples preheated at 75 °C. During the passage of an Nd(III) solution with a concentration of 1 μg mL−1 through the sorbent at a rate of 3 mL min−1 under optimal conditions, the sorption capacity of Na-clinoptilolite is 7.2 mg g−1, which is in 4 and 2.3 times higher than that of natural and acid-modified forms of this zeolite. It is shown that under the experimental conditions with an increase in the flow rate, the thickness of the stationary surface layer decreases, which leads to a decrease in the sorption capacity of Na-clinoptilolite. The best Nd(III) desorbents are solutions of mineral acids and acidified solutions of alkali metal salts (except NaCl), which provide 93–98 % extraction of lanthanide from the zeolite matrix. The method for neodymium trace amounts preconcentration from aqueous solutions in a solid-phase extraction mode with a further determination of this rare earth element by a spectrophotometric method was developed. The detection limit of this method is 0.75 ng mL−1 and the linearity was evaluated in the range of 2.5–500 ng mL−1.

The beneficial role of nano-sized Fe3O4 entrapped in ultra-stable Y zeolite for the complete mineralization of phenol by heterogeneous photo-Fenton under solar light

Highly efficient, separable, and stable magnetic iron-based-photocatalysts produced from ultra-stable Y (USY) zeolite were applied, for the first time, to the photo-Fenton removal of phenol under solar light. USY Zeolite with a Si/Al molar ratio of 385 was impregnated under vacuum with an aqueous solution of Fe2+ ions and thermally treated (500–750 °C) in a reducing atmosphere. Three catalysts, Fe-USY500°C-2h, Fe-USY600°C-2h and Fe-USY750°C-2h, containing different amounts of reduced iron species entrapped in the zeolitic matrix, were obtained. The catalysts were thoroughly characterized by absorption spectrometry, X-ray powder diffraction with synchrotron source, followed by Rietveld analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N2 adsorption/desorption at −196 °C, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and magnetic measurements at room temperature.The catalytic activity was evaluated in a recirculating batch photoreactor irradiated by solar light with online analysis of evolved CO2. Photo-Fenton results showed that the catalyst obtained by thermal treatment at 500 °C for 2 h under a reducing atmosphere (FeUSY-500°C-2h) was able to completely mineralize phenol in 120 min of irradiation time at pH = 4 owing to the presence of a higher content of entrapped nano-sized magnetite particles. The latter promotes the generation of hydroxyl radicals in a more efficient way than the Fe-USY catalysts prepared at 600 and 750 °C because of the higher Fe3O4 content in ultra-stable Y zeolite treated at 500 °C. The FeUSY-500°C-2h catalyst was recovered from the treated water through magnetic separation and reused five times without any significant worsening of phenol mineralization performances. The characterization of the FeUSY-500°C-2h after the photo-Fenton process demonstrated that it was perfectly stable during the reaction. The optimized catalyst was also effective in the mineralization of phenol in tap water. Finally, a possible photo-Fenton mechanism for phenol mineralization was assessed based on experimental tests carried out in the presence of scavenger molecules, demonstrating that hydroxyl radicals play a major role.

Fly ash-based zeolitic materials of different surface chemistry and texture: Insight into adsorption performance and mechanisms of aqueous BTEX removal

Water contamination caused by anthropogenic, and unforecasted release of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) compounds threatens the quality and integrity of aquatic ecosystems. BTEX sorption with novel materials characterized by increased hydrophobicity and stability has been proposed to overcome such contamination. This study aimed to investigate the whole array of hydrothermally synthesized zeolitic materials exhibiting different properties, as well as zeolite/carbon and zeolite/vermiculite composites, to analyse their potential in removing aqueous BTEX. Various parameters and experimental conditions, including the type of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), initial concentration, BTEX coexistence, and increased solution salinity, were studied to verify the applicability of the derived materials. The adsorption capacity of the materials and their governing removal mechanisms were additionally elucidated. The primary removal mechanism involved partitioning on unburned carbon residues, which was observed in zeolite/carbon composites showing the highest BTEX removal efficiency. NaA-zeolite/carbon composite was the most effective in removal of BTEX, with the removal capacity of 15.36 mg/g towards p-xylene. Moreover, the increased salinity of the BTEX solution affects adsorption performance for polar adsorbates, irrespectively of the applied zeolite/carbon composite. Fly-ash (FA) and high-carbon fly-ash (HCFA) were successfully valorised into products with better textural features. These products may effectively tackle organic water pollution caused by VOCs under near-real-life conditions.