en Natural Zeolites Application as Sustainable Adsorbent for Heavy Metals Removal from Drinking Water عمومى General پژوهشي Research <span style="font-weight: bold">Background:</span> There are great resources of natural zeolite in Iran. Zeolite, an inorganic ion-exchanger, may be used as a suitable technical-economical solution for water treatment in many regions of Iran. In this study, the characterization of natural zeolite natrolite and the feasibility of removing hardness, cations, and anions were investigated. <br><span style="font-weight: bold">Methods: </span>First, zeolite composition and type were determined using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), thermal analysis, and infrared spectrometer. Also, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and its impact on water hardness reduction evaluated. Then, isotherm curves for Fe, Cr, Al, Bi, Cd, Mn, Ca, Mg, Ag, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, and their disposition to zeolite phase besides removal rate of the mentioned cations in analyzed water samples identified. Eventually, zeolite structure was rectified using surfactant (HMNDA) for anions removal. <br><span style="font-weight: bold">Results:</span> Natrolite zeolite was more effective for waters with higher hardness, but it turned out to be moderate for waters with lower hardness. The ability of natrolite zeolite for permanent hardness removal was more than others and was less for temporary hardness. Also, the natrolite zeolite was more effective in removing non-heavy metal cations and by increasing the HMNDA concentration, arsenate anion removed fast from water samples. However, by pH increases in the water sample, the arsenate anion removal arbitrarily changed : less in pH=3. But the removal efficiency got better in alkaline pH. It is obvious that by increasing the pH of water samples, the removal efficiency will decrease. In spite of that, the removal efficiency of chromate ion , in acidity pH, was more than alkaline. The maximum removal of Cr (VI) occurred in acidic media at pH<1.5. <br> <span style="font-weight: bold">Conclusion:</span> The natrolite zeolite could remove different heavy metals from drinking water. Moreover, the removal efficiency of natrolite zeolite was enhansed by surfactant modification. Anions, Cations, HMNDA, Natrolite, Natural Zeolite, Water Treatment Anions, Cations, HMNDA, Natrolite, Natural Zeolite, Water Treatment 302 310 http://ijt.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2-28&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Gagik Badalians Gholikandi Gagik Badalians Gholikandi 10031947532846003280 10031947532846003280 No Power and Water University of Technology (PWUT), Water Research Institute (WRI), Tehran, Iran Power and Water University of Technology (PWUT), Water Research Institute (WRI), Tehran, Iran Mohammad Mehdi Baneshi محمد مهدی بانشی 10031947532846003281 10031947532846003281 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Emad Dehghanifard عماد دهقانی فرد 10031947532846003282 10031947532846003282 No Water and Wastewater Research Center, Water Research Institute (WRI)/Environmental Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Water and Wastewater Research Center, Water Research Institute (WRI)/Environmental Health Engineering Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Saeed Salehi سعید صالحی salehi1362@yahoo.com 10031947532846003283 10031947532846003283 Yes Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran Ahmad Reza Yari احمدرضا یاری 10031947532846003284 10031947532846003284 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran