Review of the Application of Zeolites as Sorption Materials in Water Treatment

The pollution of water, including salt and fresh water, has become an emergency problem. Pollutants come from different sources and have various characteristics, starting from industry and fertilizers used in agriculture, sewage related to human living, and other sources. Diverse sources of pollution require a comprehensive approach to water purification. One possible approach may be the use of appropriate sorbents. Currently, one of the most promising materials used is zeolites. This is because they can come from various sources, including waste raw materials such as fly ash, and, therefore, allow for the use of a circular economy approach. Moreover, these materials can be modified, which enables their selective use for selected types of pollutants. Eventually, these materials become economically viable options. The main aim of this article is to present and analyze possible solutions to water pollution based on zeolite materials. For this purpose, a critical literature review was prepared. The review reveals that zeolites perform particularly well in ion-exchange-driven removal of inorganic contaminants, while their effectiveness for organic micropollutants under realistic conditions is often limited. The identified trade-offs between removal efficiency, regeneration stability, and scalability indicate that zeolites are best applied as function-specific rather than universal sorbents. From a sustainability perspective, this targeted applicability is supported by advantages, such as low material cost, long service life, and the possibility of using naturally occurring or waste-derived precursors, which, together, enable resource-efficient water treatment processes, reduced reliance on energy-intensive technologies, and the valorization of industrial byproducts within circular economy frameworks.