Copper-zeolite integrated stormwater biofilter for nutrient removal – the impact of intermittent wetting and drying conditions

A large-scale column study was conducted to examine the sediment and nutrient removal performance of stormwater biofilters that contained layers of novel copper-zeolite filter media. The filters were exposed to stormwater under varied dosing frequency over 33 weeks and were assessed for their hydraulic performance and their efficiency in removing sediment and nutrients. The non-vegetated sand filters with layers of copper-zeolite media (SCu filters) achieved consistently good removal of total phosphorus (87%) despite the challenging dry-wet cycles, and the effluent concentration met a long-term irrigation guideline (0.05 mg/L). The same design achieved 51% removal of total nitrogen above the Australian runoff quality load reduction targets (45%). Incorporation of Leptospermum continentale into the copper-zeolite filters (LCCu-T) maintained the phosphorus removal (86%) and led to a slight increase in total nitrogen removal (57%). Both designs maintained good water permeability (200 mm/h at the end of the last wet period). Copper-zeolite played a mixed role in the system: enhancing nutrients removal through precipitation and ion exchange, maintaining high water permeability, limiting the advantages of vegetation on nutrient removal. Future studies should refine biofilter design and vegetation selection to augment the performance of copper-zeolite filters by integrating the advantages of vegetation on nutrient removal.

THE EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF ZEOLITE PARTICLES ON THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF SINTERED COPPER MATRIX COMPOSITES

The paper presents the results of research on the possibilities of producing and using copper–zeolite composites obtained by powder metallurgy. The zeolite powder (0.0–0.2 mm fraction) used in the experiments was ground tuff rock extracted from the Kucin Quarry (VSK PRO-ZEO s.r.o.) in Slovakia. The as-delivered material was imaged and analysed using the SEM/EDS and XRD techniques. Before the sintering process, one-sided pressing was applied to the hydraulic press at a pressure of 620 MPa. The sintering process was carried out in a laboratory tube furnace at 900°C in an atmosphere of dissociated ammonia. The sintering time was 60 minutes. The resulting agglomerates were subjected to the following tests: measurements of density, hardness, electrical conductivity, and abrasion resistance. Observations of the microstructure on metallographic specimens made from the sintered samples were also performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Zeolite was introduced into the copper matrix in the amounts of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% by weight. The introduction of zeolite particles into the matrix as the strengthening phase caused an increase in the hardness of sinters while lowering a density and electrical conductivity. The introduction of zeolite particles caused a decrease in abrasion resistance for a composite containing up to 7.5% zeolite. The increase in abrasion resistance was observed for the composite containing 10% zeolite particles.

The utilization of copper/zeolite as catalyst in the microwave-assisted synthesis of some novel sulfonamide derivatives

Zeolite Y clay modified copper nitrate catalyst was prepared. The obtained catalyst was analyzed by SEM, EDS, and powder XRD techniques. The zeolite Y clay modified copper nitrate catalyst was used for the synthesis of various substituted mesalazine by sulfonylation. The synthesized sulfonamides have been characterized by GC-MS, IR, 1H, 13C and HSQC NMR techniques. The yield percentages of sulfonamides are more than 85%.