• Resources Recycling
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.3-9
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• 2002

Relnoval of ammonia from aqueous solutions has been studied with zeolite and bentonite minerals. Zeolite and bentonite powder were supplied by a domestic company and used as delivered without further purification. The aqueous pH was found to increase by addition of zeolite or bentonite up to pH 8.5 from initial pH of 5.5∼5.7. From the C.E.C. measurement by ammonium acetate leaching method, the values of C.E.C. of zeolite and bentonite sample were observed to be 129.7 meq/100 gr and 65.1 meq/100 gr, respectively and Na+ ion accounted for the major part of total C.E.C. in both cases. In the removal of ammonia with zeolite and bentonite, physical adsorption of ammonium ion onto minerals was believed to contribute to the removal of it as well as the intrinsic cation exchange reaction. Finally, zeolite was found to be superior to bentonite in the removal of ammonia from aqueous solutions.