Ammonia removal capacity of European natural zeolite tuffs: application to aquaculture waste water

Abstract

Abstract. The possibility of improving aquaculture water quality using different kinds of zeolites is discussed. Zeolites are aluminosilicates, whose framework structure allows them to exchange cations. Cations have differing affinities for different structures, and in particular ammonia has a great affinity for phillipsite and clinoptilolite structures. These zeolites are already used for ammonia removal from municipal piggery, and aquacultural wastes. In the present paper, ammonia removal from aquacultural water from recirculating systems has been tested, comparing different zeolites under laboratory conditions. Phillipsite and clinoptilolite tuffs were effective in ammonia removal, while chabazitc tuff having a lower content of zeolitic material (50%) and lower affinity for ammonia showed that a lower temperature did not influence ion exchange capacity in any of the zeolites.