Oil field waste cleanup can benefit from the use of zeolite.

Italian scholar Colella Pansini examined natural zeolites as cation exchangers for environmental protection extensively.

Pansini’s review is structured as follows:

• This course introduces industrial-scale cation exchange procedures.
• Deals with the removal of NH₄+ from municipal and industrial wastewater.
• Research on the abilities for natural Zeolites for removal of heavy metals from water and soil
• Zeolites are a very effective decontaminant of soils and water containing radionuclides because of their chemical and structural characteristics. The combination of ion exchange and sieving capabilities of zeolite makes it an excellent choice for oil field cleanup.

A system of exchanging ions

It is known as Isomorphous Substitution because the residual magnetic charge from our Zeolite is transferred to the Zeolite Framework. This is an ideal site for exchangeable cations in a solution to bind to because these areas of negative charge are available. In the absence of a suitable site or if it is already occupied, cations occupy the water molecules’ sites during ion exchange.

Molecular Sieves

Zeolites can exclude certain cations depending on the size of their microporous channels and cavities. Large cations are excluded from the inner surface of Zeolite either entirely or in part. Cations that do not fit into the internal structure can be exchanged (through isomorphous substitution or ion-exchange) into the structure and become part of the Zeolite Framework. The molecular sieve properties of natural Zeolites are thus well-known (Tsitsishvili et al., 1992).

The first practical application of zeolites dates back to the 19th century (Breck 1974). Many molecular sieve and cation ion exchange applications date back hundreds of years.
Zeolite can be utilized in various aspects of work that revolves around the Bakken Oil Patch. With cation exchange and Molecular Sieve, pollutants such as oil, hydrocarbons, ammonia, methane, radionuclides, radioactive isotopes, and heavy metals can be cleaned and trapped. In addition to decontaminating sites, landfills, spill cleanups, and municipalities, zeolite can also be used for air purification, wastewater treatment, and radiation capture.

Using Zeolite is beneficial for cleaning up drill and accident sites. In order to take advantage of both the absorbent and lightweight properties of wood chips, Idaho-Ore Mining manufactures blends of wood chips and Zeolite. It may also be used directly to capture radionuclides and hydrocarbons.
Blends of wood and Zeolite will reduce costs at landfills while still maximizing the benefits Zeolite has to offer.