Effects of faujasite X and Y zeolites on the 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2’ bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) degradation during water purification

Abstract

The ability of zeolites to abstract and denature organochloride pesticides finds application in water purification practices. In this study, activated faujasite X and Y zeolites were separately exposed to 1, 2 and 4 ppm concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2’ bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (dichloro dipheny trichloroethane - DDT) water solutions. For the 1 ppm DDT solutions, the resultant degradation products and residual DDT were minimal with concentrations in zeolite treatments reducing to below detection limit (0.005 ppm) in about 2 hours. In addition, the rate of dissipation was found to somewhat depend on the levels of DDT concentration and the type of zeolite used. The main degradation product in samples exposed to faujasite X was dichloro dipheny dichloroethylene (DDE) whereas in the faujasite Y exposed samples, both the DDE and dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane (DDD) were obtained.