Natural zeolite as an eco-friendly catalyst support for dye removal

Developing efficient and sustainable materials for the removal of hazardous pollutants from wastewater remains a key challenge in environmental remediation. In this study, we present a green strategy for fabricating a multifunctional composite based on natural zeolite for the removal and degradation of synthetic dyes. A Phillipsite-rich tuff was functionalized with polydopamine, which served both as a reducing and chelating agent for silver ions, enabling the in-situ formation of metallic Ag nanoparticles. The resulting Ag-PDA-zeolite composite was evaluated for the removal of Methylene Blue and Basic Fuchsin, demonstrating combined adsorption and catalytic degradation capabilities. Despite the use of a low silver content (∼0.3 %wt), the material showed good adsorption performance, high catalytic activity, and stability over multiple reuse cycles. This work underscores the potential of combining natural zeolites with biopolymers to produce cost-effective, reusable, and environmentally friendly materials for advanced wastewater treatment.