United States Office of Air Quality EPA 456/F-98-004

 Environmental Protection Planning and Standards July 1998

 Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

 Air
THIS PAGE INTENTIALLY LEFT BLANK
EPA-456/F-98-004

July 1998

ZEOLITE 

A VERSATILE 

AIR POLLUTANT ADSORBER

Prepared by

Clean Air Technology Center (MD-12)

Information Transfer and Program Integration Division

Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
iv

DISCLAIMER

This report has been reviewed by the Information Transfer and Program

Integration Division of the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency and approved for publication. Approval does not

signify that the contents of this report reflect the views and policies of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency. Mention of trade names or commercial products is

not intended to constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Copies of this

report are available form the National Technical Information Service, 

U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161,

telephone number (800) 553-6847.
v

FORWARD

The Clean Air Technology Center (CATC) serves as a resource on all areas of

emerging and existing air pollution prevention and control technologies, and provides public

access to data and information on their use, effectiveness and cost. In addition, the CATC will

provide technical support, including access to EPA’s knowledge base, to government agencies

and others, as resources allow, related to the technical and economic feasibility, operation and

maintenance of these technologies.

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vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This technical bulletin was made possible through the diligent and persistent efforts of

Lyndon Cox, Senior Environmental Employee with the Clean Air Technology Center (CATC). 

Lyndon did an exceptional job identifying information sources, gathering relative data and

putting this bulletin together. The CATC appreciates the assistance of peer reviewers Madeleine

Strum with the Coating and Consumer Products Group, Emission Standards Division, Office of

Air Quality Planning and Standards, and Chester A. Vogel with the Emissions Characterization

and Prevention Branch, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, National Risk

Management Research Laboratory for their helpful and timely comments and cooperation. 

In addition, the CATC thanks the individuals, companies and institutions who supplied

information on zeolite and zeolite adsorption technology used to prepare this Technical Bulletin. 

Contributors are indicated in the REFERENCES section of this bulletin.
vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPIC Page

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER....................................................................................1

WHAT IS ZEOLITE?........................................................................................................1

WHY DO WE SYNTHESIZE ZEOLITE?........................................................................1

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF ZEOLITE?.......................3

HOW CAN ZEOLITE BE USED TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION?...........................3

DOES ZEOLITE HAVE USE OUTSIDE OF CONTROLLING AIR POLLUTION?.....5

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE?.......................................................7

WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO KNOW?......................................................................8

REFERENCES..................................................................................................................9

FIGURES

1. Y Zeolite Crystal Structure...........................................................................................2

2. VOC Concentrator........................................................................................................4

3. Vacuum Regeneration Adsorber...................................................................................7

4. Cascade Vacuum Separation........................................................................................8
viii

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1

 ZEOLITE, A VERSATILE July 8, 1998

AIR POLLUTANT ADSORBER

THE PURPOSES OF THIS PAPER

The purposes of this paper are to make you familiar with zeolite, what it can contribute to control

of air pollution -- particularly control of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) -- and what to

expect in the future.

WHAT IS ZEOLITE?

Zeolite is a rock composed of aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. It occurs naturally in several

regions of the world where prehistoric volcanic activity has happened near water, or the water

has been present for millennia since the eruption. In 1756, the Swedish mineralogist Baron Axel

Fredrick Cronstedt discovered zeolite. One account has his dog digging up the stone and him

naming it zeolite from a word which means “dog” in Swedish. In another account, he found that

when the zeolite (it was actually Stilbite) was heated it gave off steam. Zeolite means “boiling

stone” in Greek. Since I do not know either Swedish or Greek, you will have to judge whether

either or both of these stories are correct. We do know for sure that zeolite was discovered.

Zeolite has a natural porosity because it has a crystal structure with windows, cages, and

supercages. The natural zeolites are limited in their window size (“pore size”) and are all

hydrophilic (having an affinity for water). Some synthetic zeolites are similar to an absorbent

carbon, since both can be considered hydrophobic (having an affinity for organics, with lack of or

a decreased affinity for water), and can adsorb organic vapors with molecules smaller than their

“pore size.” With both carbon and zeolite you can adsorb water and organic molecules; 

however, that for which it has affinity will displace the other molecules. Zeolite has a uniform

“pore size” which leads to it being referred to as a “molecular sieve,” while carbons appear to

have pores leading to smaller pores leading to still smaller pores ad infinitum.

“Absorbent carbon”, which is actually an adsorber, also has an affinity for water at some sites,

which decreases its capacity to adsorb organic molecules from streams containing water

molecules. This can be either true or false for zeolite depending on the type of zeolite that you

select. Generally, the higher the silicon to aluminum ratio, the more hydrophobic the zeolite. 

Hydrophobic zeolite must be synthesized, for it does not occur in nature. Therefore, the race to

synthesize zeolite with specific abilities is on!

WHY DO WE SYNTHESIZE ZEOLITE?

Synthesis is important because it allows scientists and engineers to (1) predict the properties of

the zeolite, (2) make a zeolite with a larger “pore size,” and (3) make hydrophobic zeolite. Early

attempts to synthesize zeolite simulated volcanic conditions. Hydrophilic zeolite was finally

synthesized in 1949 by Milton, Breck, and others under hydrothermal conditions (i.e., below

100 C.). In 1985, Bibby and Dale reported the synthesis of a pure silica zeolite. Others have

synthesized a wide range of hydrophilic and hydrophobic zeolites.
2

Zeolite-like crystal structures have even been created by substituting other elements for either the

aluminum or the silicon in the synthesis, but the zeolite that we will discuss here is purely an

alumino-silicate.

There have been 40 natural zeolites discovered; 118 zeolites have been cataloged by the Structure

Committee of the International Zeolite Association; more than 600 zeolites have been identified,

and, if you were to include zeolite-like crystal structures using other elements, the number would

be increasing daily. One zeolite is not exactly like any other. 

The structure of a zeolite crystal is based on a tetrahedron formed by four oxygen atoms joined to

a silicon atom by its four valence electrons. These tetrahedrons are joined at the oxygen

“corners” to make crystals. When aluminum is present while the crystals form, the silicon is

replaced by aluminum atoms which have only three valence electrons. The remaining valence

electron is usually provided by either hydrogen or sodium because they are commonly found in

the hydrating water. This distorts the tetrahedron and makes an “acid site” for exchange of other

ions. This also makes the structure hydrophilic. If the zeolite is formed in a mix that contains an

organic cation (i.e., a cation having a carbon backbone), the structure can be formed around the

organic cation, using it as a template. This has led to silicon-rich hydrophobic zeolites with large

enough “pore size” (or window size) to admit all but the largest petroleum molecules. 

The crystal structure of a zeolite consists of windows, cages, and supercages. The windows are

how the molecules reach the cages and supercages to be adsorbed or catalyzed. The cages are the

smaller cells in the crystal structure. The supercages are cells in the crystal structure that are

larger than cages and may even contain cages. Figure 1 shows the structure of Y zeolite as seen

by red light. 

Figure 1 -- Y Zeolite Crystal Structure - Showing Windows, Cages, and Supercages

Reprinted with permission from CHEMTECH, June 1996, 26(6), pp 24-30. Copyright 1996 American Chemical

Society.
3

Activation of a zeolite consists of heating or evacuating the zeolite to desorb the hydrating water

or other material from the adsorption area, just as with carbon.

The cost of hydrophobic zeolites ranges from $6.50 to $40.00 per pound, according to PQ

Corporation. Compare this with $1.40 to $2.00 per pound for carbon adsorbents, according to

Calgon Carbon. Generally, a minimum of a ton of zeolite is needed for concentration of VOC,

and this can handle up to 8,000 cfm. However, the cost of either carbon or zeolite is only a small

part of the total cost of the adsorber or concentrator.

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF ZEOLITE?

1. Zeolite is capable of selective ion exchange.

2. Zeolite can adsorb molecules on its large internal area, provided they can pass through the

windows. Zeolite and carbon are both the same in this respect, just differing in the adsorption

area that can be reached by a given molecule passing through their “pores.”

3. Zeolite can be a solid acid catalyst. It can function as a strong acid (though it remains solid)

when the hydration has substituted a hydrogen for the additional valence electron, or

isoelectronic exchange with the aluminum occurs.

4. Zeolite can be used as a molecular sieve because it has a uniform window (or pore) size.

5. Zeolite is metastable; i.e., it is stable as long as it is at a suitable temperature and pH. Within

this range, it is unaffected by wide swings in temperature, pressure, and ionizing radiation. 

Natural zeolite exists as a natural rock, and these can reach boulder size. However, synthesized

zeolite crystals are always less than a millimeter in size -- because the crystals grow slowly, and

we usually want the zeolite in this century or millennium. These small grains can rapidly

transport the adsorbed molecule to the adsorption area. Air flow through a bed of zeolite powder

creates a large pressure drop. Granular zeolites have now been developed in which grains are

bonded together to create larger air flow channels, and hence have lower resistance to air flow.

HOW CAN ZEOLITE BE USED TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION? 

Hydrophobic zeolite can be made by controlling the silicon to aluminum ratio or by

dealuminizing a zeolite. Different types of zeolite have windows from 0.3 to 3.0 nanometers (3

to 30 Angstroms), but any one type has a nominally fixed window size. Changing the Si/Al ratio

can affect the size of the window. Exchanging ions can also affect the size of the window. 

Hydrophobic zeolite is currently used to concentrate VOC before destruction. These

concentrators are shown schematically in Figure 2. They are essentially temperature-swing

adsorbers with the bed mounted on a rotor which gets regenerated on each rotation (two to five
vapor in air out

air bleed

heat

incinerator

Figure 2. V O C Concentrator

rotation

adsorber

4

 times per hour). The air-vapor flow from one vendor is axial through sectors in the rotor.

Another vendor’s design has the air-vapor flow move radially inward through segments located

along the outside of the rotor. 

The size and cost of an incinerator are related to air flow, and the air flow from the concentrator

to the incinerator is reduced by about 90%. The major cost savings comes from reducing the

flow of air through the incinerator, which reduces the heat needed to raise the temperature of the

air flow.

Because of this, the concentration of the VOC is also increased by a factor of approximately ten,

as is the heating value of the VOC. The concentrator is thus used to both reduce the size and cost

of the incinerator that is used to destroy the VOC, and to reduce the amount of fuel that must be

added to safely obtain the full destructive efficiency of the incinerator. 

The VOC level after concentration must remain below one-fourth of the Lower Explosive Limit

(LEL) for safety; therefore, the input to the concentrator should be no more than about 500 parts

per million (ppm). Commonly, the inlet concentration is only a few hundred ppm. Thus, the

concentrator should be used for VOC concentrations between the levels that are economical for

the fixed bed adsorber and the condenser. 

If an incinerator is used at such VOC levels without concentration, a lot of fuel must be added

because the heating value of the VOC is so small before concentration. By concentrating the

VOC, the heating value is increased and less fuel must be added. The total cost of destroying

VOC is in the range of $1,000 to $3,000 per ton, according to Munters ZEOL. The higher total

costs are for the more dilute concentrations.

Hydrophobic zeolites can be very efficient at adsorbing and desorbing VOC, as shown by the

paper “Sorption and Diffusion of VOC on Hydrophobic Zeolites” Paper 83f, 1996 Annual
5

Meeting, American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Zeolites can be used over a wider

temperature range than carbon, and are generally superior to carbon as an adsorber.

Gasoline engines emit VOC in their exhaust when they are cold. Hydrophobic zeolite is used in

the catalytic converter to adsorb this VOC from the cold engine exhaust. When the engine

warms up, and the hot exhaust gas desorbs the VOC from the zeolite, the zeolite then catalyzes

the oxidation of the VOC. The zeolite is not altered by the 1,000 F temperatures that are

reached. 

Diesel engines have an entirely different problem. They emit NOx which can be catalytically

reduced to nitrogen and oxygen (as in clean air) by a cerium-exchanged zeolite using either urea

or ammonia as a reducing agent. 

Separation of carbon dioxide from flue gas was investigated in Korea (Industrial Engineering

Chemical Research, 1995, 34, pp. 591-598). The authors found that zeolite 13X was superior to

an “absorbent carbon” in a pressure swing adsorption system. Since carbon dioxide is a

greenhouse gas associated with global warming, this could be very important in reducing such

emissions.

Chabazite, another zeolite, has been used as a molecular sieve to remove sulfur dioxide from flue

gas. Sulfur oxides are also a product of processing some ores. Sulfur oxides are constituents of

acid rain. Reducing the emissions of them could have a profoundly beneficial effect on the

environment.

Clintoptilolite (a natural zeolite) can remove ammonia from wastewater. It has been used to

control ammonia from urine in both “kitty litter” and horse stables. It is also used to adsorb VOC

that cause odors from mildew, foot fungus, and carpets. It regenerates in sunlight and clean air.

It is noteworthy that zeolite can even be used to catalyze oxidation of hydrocarbons in the

presence of light. However, it can be very selective in these reactions according to

CHEMTECH, 1996, 26(6), 24-30 American Chemical Society.

DOES ZEOLITE HAVE USE OUTSIDE OF CONTROLLING AIR POLLUTION?

In a word, YES. In treatment of radioactive wastes, zeolite is used to remove radioactive cesium

and strontium from wastewater. Since zeolite is impervious to even high doses of radiation, it is

used to exchange and trap these ions. It is capable of removing radioactive strontium at a

concentration of 1 microgram per liter while sodium is present at 150,000 times that

concentration. The zeolite is in powder or sand-size grains which are then used as a filler in

concrete. The concrete is then cast in drums for disposal. This method of disposal is deemed

impervious to salt water leaching, and the radioactive waste can be disposed of either in a landfill

or by ocean dumping.

Zeolite has been used in water softening. Passing hard water through a bed of zeolite to 
6

exchange the calcium and magnesium ions prevents them from forming insoluble soaps which

we see as “soap scum.” The zeolite can be regenerated by passing salt brine through it. The

chlorides of the exchanged ions are water-soluble and therefore disposal is easy. Because natural

zeolites are attacked by acidic tap water, more resistant materials are now used, although

hydrophilic zeolite was used for decades. 

Akin to water softeners, and not subject to such attack because they are used only once, are

“builders” in detergents. Zeolite is used as a “builder” and replaces most of the sodium

tripolyphosphate which was formerly used and found to be environmentally harmful. Here again

the zeolite removes calcium and magnesium ions from the water. Seven hundred million tons of

zeolite per year are used this way. Powdered zeolite has no harmful effect on the environment

beyond sometimes being a nuisance dust. 

The use of zeolite catalysts in “catalytic crackers” in oil refineries was dependent upon discovery

of a large window zeolite that was hydrophobic. Charles J. Plank and Edward J. Rosinski

invented such a zeolite and its synthesis. Zeolite catalysts now reduce our consumption of

petroleum imports by $8 to $16 billion dollars per year. Added to that savings is the reduced

carbon dioxide emissions from reduced energy requirements of refineries. 

Researchers at the University of the West Indies are seeking to use zeolite to make gasoline from

ethanol. New Zealand already uses zeolite as a catalyst to make a large percentage of its motor

fuel from methanol, because they lack petroleum reserves.

Zeolite is used as a dryer for compressed air. Its acts as a desiccant to adsorb moisture. It can

hold up to one-fourth of its weight in water without an appreciable rise in vapor pressure. 

Zeolite is also used in refrigerators to dry out the refrigerant. This prevents the formation of ice

crystals which could clog the flow passages and valves. 

Slow release fertilizers use zeolite to control their release to the soil. Urea is converted to

ammonia by soil bacteria. Clintoptilolite adsorbs the ammonia, and prevents the soil bacteria

from converting it to nitrate. Subsequent slow leaching of the ammonia allows this nitrification

to occur over a period of months. Otherwise, the surge of nitrates would wash out of the soil and

pollute both groundwater and streams.

Zeolite is used to separate nitrogen from oxygen in air. The small difference in size between a

nitrogen molecule and an oxygen molecule, along with polarization and a suitable zeolite, allows

oxygen to be adsorbed selectively from air. The nitrogen is vented, and the oxygen is then

desorbed. This is used to generate oxygen for aircraft crews, industrial processes, and aquariums. 

Zeolites have been synthesized as a membrane, which allows their use as a molecular sieve. 

Molecular sieves let molecules through for which they have affinity, and that are smaller than

their pore (window) size. This property is being used for chemical transducers in mixtures where 
adsorber vapor in air out

purge gas

vacuum pump

adsorber

Figure 3. Vacuum Regeneration Adsorber

VOC

7

the molecular species are known. If a known diameter of molecule passes through and causes

any response from the transducer, that response can be calibrated to the concentration of the

known molecular species. Thus, we now have transducers that sense chemical concentration

without the need for chemical reaction.

Similarly, the University of Greenwich in London, England has developed a zeolite which is used

as a molecular sieve that will allow passage of water molecules -- but will not allow passage of

VOC. This is a hydrophilic zeolite, for this is in the form of a thin membrane which must allow

water molecules to adsorb/desorb and thus pass through. They can grow this zeolite with a pore

size of 0.42 nanometers. They use it as a molecular sieve to remove the water from specimens

without any loss of the VOC.

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE?

Now that zeolite can be formed into granules which will allow free airflow, we should see zeolite

replace carbon in fixed bed adsorbers in the U. S. This has already occurred in Europe. There is

a reason for this to happen. Carbon (or metals in or on it) catalyze oxidation of VOC, and this

has caused carbon bed fires. This would not necessarily occur in a zeolite bed, and even if a bed

fire does occur, only the VOC would burn. The zeolite also has a non-linear adsorption isotherm,

which increases adsorption at lower concentrations of VOC. This allows a removal efficiency of

99% for zeolite where carbon would have a 95% efficiency. Carbon has the efficiency advantage

only at higher concentrations. Zeolite also regenerates more completely than carbon. 

Catalysis also happens when a monomer, such as styrene, is adsorbed on carbon and desorbed by

steam. This leaves a “heel” of polymerized monomer on the carbon in a thermal-swing steam

regenerated system. Using a zeolite vacuum regenerated bed (as in Figure 3) could extend the

life of the bed, recover the stryene, and perhaps make the use of zeolite economically attractive.
adsorber 1

adsorber 2

adsorber 3

vapors in

air out

gas bleed in

vacuum

pump VOC recovery device 

Figure 4. Cascade Vacuum Separation

8

When zeolite becomes more commonly used in fixed bed adsorbers in the United States, we can

expect that selective adsorption based on molecular diameter will be used. This would be made

possible by cascading adsorbers of different zeolites, as in Figure 4. Each adsorber in the

cascade would adsorb a range of molecular diameters. By selecting the zeolite based upon type

and pore size, each VOC could be recovered with purity at least comparable to a commercial

grade -- if only one VOC were recovered per cascade in the adsorber. Thus, the recovered VOC

could provide a return on investment to help pay for the operation of the adsorber system. We

understand that some VOC are changed to a different isomer by the catalytic action of some

zeolites. If that is the case with your VOC, then the plant can either sell the isomer, use the new

isomer instead of the old one, or change the type of zeolite which is used. 

WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO KNOW?

We need to know (1) what the effective window size is for different zeolites with different

exchange atoms, and (2) what the effective molecular diameter is for each VOC. Having this

knowledge, we can list the VOC that can pass through the windows and reach the adsorption

area. We also need to know the critical temperature and pressure for catalyzing reaction for each

VOC with each zeolite (as well as for types of carbon). The critical temperature and pressure

may actually be curves, with one value for polymerization, and another for oxidation. Using

these types of information, we can design the adsorber system to either avoid or use these

reactions.

Some of this data is already available on the Internet and in libraries. However, it is frequently

not in a form usable to persons who would design such systems. For example, available

crystallographic pore sizes are actually different from the effective window sizes for VOC

molecules. The information needs to be made more widely available in an appropriate form for

engineers to use. 
9

REFERENCES:

This paper is based upon information from the following sources: 

(Note that the Internet address is given where the page can be obtained from the Internet.)

Chemistry Department, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, England, UK 

trigger.ch.umist.ac.uk:808/zeolite/web/allchaps.htm

Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester. MA

otis.msfc.nasa.gov/MSAD/scirev/sacco.html

Moulinex Marketing, Mumbai, India

www.bjmoulinex.com/mol.htm

Philip Schmidt and David Price, Center for Energy Studies, University of Texas, Austin, TX

www.me.utexas.edu/~prep/mwr.html

California Institute of Technology, Dr. Mark Davis

www.aiche.org/docs/chapterone/zeolites.htm

University of Illinois at Chicago

www2.uic.edi/~rpeddi3/zeolites/zeolites.html

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

www.cems.edu/~zeolites/

Zeolyst International

zeolyst.com/faq.html

Technical Transfer Information Partnerships, U. S. Geological Survey

www.usgs.gov/tech-transfer/factsheets/94-066b.html

Laboratorie for Kristallographie ETH, Zurich, Switzerland

kristall.erdw.ethz.ch/research/zeolite_group

Research Foundation of State University of New York

imr.chem.binghamton.edu/labs/zeolite.html

Axel Brunger’s Research Group, Yale University, Hew Haven, CT

www-iza-sc.csb.yale.edu/IZA-SC/Atlas

Agricultural and Biological Research Group, Katholich Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium

www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/pers/tomr/zeostruc.htm

Department of Chemical Engineering, Cambridge University

www.cheng.cam.ac.uk/~jah1015/zeolites.html

Oxford University, Chemistry Department

www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/zeolite.html

Dr. Daniel Resasco, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

University of Oklahoma www.ou.edu/catalysis
10

Ph.D. Project of the OSPT - Delft

www.ct.utwente.nl/~ospt/minipost96/tud/wijnand.html

Pollution Online

news.pollutiononline.com/industry-news/ind02289704.html

Zeolite Membrane Passes Only Water 

Filtration & Separation, October 1997, p. 814

Air and Waste Management Association:

Paper 96-RA106.05, Adsorption of VOCs on Zeolite

Paper 96-RA106.02, Microwave Regeneration of VOC Adsorbents

CHEMTECH, The American Chemical Society

acsinfo.acs.org/hotartcl/chemtech/96/jun/zeo.html

Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology

www.che.caltech.edu/research/catalysis.html

Zeolite (a commercial page for clintoptilolite)

www.gtamart.com/mart/products/zeolite

University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm:1104/lectures/synfuel.html

Munters ZEOL, Amesbury, MA

1996 AIChE Annual Meeting, Session 83, Paper 83f, Sorption and Diffusion of Volatile Organic Compounds on 

Hydrophobic Zeolites, M. Chandak and Y. S. Lin, University of Cincinnati

Zeotech, Arlov, Sweden