Zeolite in the hydrocarbon industry

Natural zeolites are formed when volcanic rocks and layers of ash react with alkaline groundwater. Notably, clinoptilolite was used in 1986 by the Russian government to absorb radioactive chemicals and other harmful toxins following the Chernobyl disaster. People showed a 30 per cent reduction in radioactive isotopes following the first application of zeolite. In Great Britain, it is used to remove caesium-137 and strontium-90 from radioactive waste.

In the hydrocarbon industry, zeolites are used in a wide range of applications, such as:

• As catalysts in oil refining.
• As detergents for cleaning petrochemical pipelines.
• As catalysts in the production of liquid fuels with a high alkane content.
• For the production and purification of natural gas.
• For the removal of mercury vapours from natural gas.
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