Adsorption of MTBE on nano zeolite composites of selective supports

The selected zeolite composites silicalite-1/fly ash cenosphere (S/FAC) and silicalite-1/diatomite (S/D) are successfully applied for effective removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) from water system through batch adsorption process. Adsorption isotherms of zeolite composites demonstrated that the Langmuir model provided a good fit throughout the concentration rang (from 100 μg l−1 to 100 mg l−1). S/FAC had a higher maximum adsorption capacity (qmax = 92 551 μg g−1) than S/D (qmax = 48 465 μg g−1), due to the higher amount of silicalite-1 coated on its outer surface (21%) than that on S/D (12%). Other factors that associated with the practical application of zeolite composites were also discussed. Synthesis conditions of S/FAC are relatively mild and energy-saving, while S/D is more economical when considering the cost of the expensive organic template during the preparation process.