PRODUCTION OF MIXED ZEOLITE USING AMAZONIAN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE REMOVAL OF LEAD FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov16n5-286Keywords:
Zeolite, Analcime, Pitiglianite, Heavy MetalsAbstract
The search for sustainable approaches, particularly synthesis routes that typically involve long reaction times, high temperatures, and reagents derived from non-renewable sources such as petroleum, has been widely explored in recent decades. Accordingly, the results obtained in this study demonstrate that biogenic silica extraction from Amazonian Cauxi was successfully achieved, yielding a predominantly amorphous material with only trace amounts of crystalline quartz. Elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence indicated silicon as the major component (82.43%), accompanied by minor amounts of aluminum (7.17%), phosphorus (0.76%), sulfur (0.72%), potassium (0.34%), calcium (0.46%), and titanium (0.062%). The transformation of kaolinite into metakaolinite was achieved through thermal treatment at 700 °C for 4 hours, confirmed by both X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy, revealing the loss of kaolinite’s characteristic crystallographic planes and the formation of an amorphous structural pattern, with residual peaks of quartz and anatase. Hydrothermal synthesis produced a multiphase zeolite mixture, consisting of Analcime (cubic, Ia-3d) and Pitiglianoite (hexagonal, P63), with crystallite sizes of 43 and 37 nm, respectively. Electron microscopy revealed spherical and porous microcrystals corresponding to Analcime, while elongated, rod-shaped crystals were attributed to Pitiglianoite. The elemental composition of the matrix, containing O, Na, Si, and Al, confirmed consistency with the expected formula. Porosity analysis via N₂ adsorption indicated a predominantly mesoporous structure, with a specific surface area of 11.433 m² g⁻¹ (BET). Pb²⁺ adsorption tests demonstrated high capacity, reaching 77.23 mg g⁻¹, surpassing previously reported values in the literature. These results indicate that the combination of biogenic silica and alternative aluminum sources enables the production of multiphase zeolites with enhanced physicochemical properties, representing a promising strategy for heavy metal remediation in aqueous solutions.
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