enhanced sulfate removal from aqueous solution using ion-exchanged clinoptilolite: a study on adsorption efficiency and process optimization

Zeolites such as clinoptilolite, a class of microporous crystalline materials, have gained significant attention thanks to their exceptional adsorption capabilities. this study explored the modification of clinoptilolite through an ion exchange process to boost its sulfate removal efficiency, a simple and cost-effective method. to optimize the adsorption process, the study evaluated the impact of temperature, time, and solution concentration on sulfate removal performance using the response surface methodology (rsm). the results indicated that the maximum adsorption efficiency (81.79 %) was achieved at a temperature of 60 °c, a contact time of 3 h, and a solution concentration of 0.6 m. characterization techniques, including x-ray diffraction (xrd), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ft-ir), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (eds) were employed to analyze the structural changes and performance of the modified clinoptilolite. overall, this study demonstrates the potential of modified clinoptilolite as an effective and sustainable adsorbent for sulfate removal, offering promising prospects for industrial water treatment applications.