Removing Dyestuff From Wastewater Using Zeolite Adsorbents -I -Preparation Of The Adsorbent

The presence of dyes in wastewater from the textile industry represents a significant environmental problem, primarily due to the toxicity of reactive dyes to microorganisms and their adverse impact on aquatic ecosystems. Adsorption is one of the most commonly applied treatment approaches for dye removal, largely because of its operational simplicity, relatively low cost, and the possibility of regenerating the adsorbent material. Clinoptilolite, a naturally occurring and widely available zeolite, is characterized by a porous framework and a relatively uniform pore size distribution, which has led to its use in diverse applications, including the removal of cationic dyes from water and the purification of natural gas. Nevertheless, the negatively charged surface of natural clinoptilolite restricts its ability to adsorb anionic reactive azo dyes in aqueous systems. This drawback can be addressed through surface modification with appropriate surfactants, which impart a positive charge to the zeolite surface. In the present study, clinoptilolite was modified using dodecyl dimethyl ethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, and the influence of key operational parameters, including solid-to-liquid ratio, contact time, and initial dye concentration, was systematically examined. The findings indicate that surfactant modification substantially improves the adsorption performance of clinoptilolite, supporting its potential use as an effective adsorbent for the removal of reactive azo dyes from wastewater.