Trivalent chromium ion removal from aqueous solutions using low-cost zeolitic materials obtained from exhausted FCC catalysts

Abstract

The hydrothermal treatment of exhausted FCC catalysts with zeolite was optimized by varying the chemical composition of the synthesis mixture. The zeolitic products obtained were used to evaluate their ability for the capture of Cr(III) cations from aqueous solutions. It was shown that the zeolitic product materials were capable of reducing the Cr(III) ion concentration to values lower than 1.2 ppm. The chromium ion-containing solids were afterwards solidified in cement mortars on which leaching studies of this cation were made. The results obtained showed that the synthesized solids acted as effective Cr(III) ion immobilizers and that their inclusion as additives in cement formulations could provide an environmental friendly disposal procedure.