Zeolite Synthesis from Waste Materials for the Medical Field of Oxygen Concentrators: Focus on the African Scenario

The property of zeolites to selective remove specific compounds from a fluid mixture was exploited in the medical field of oxygen concentrators for the removal of N2 from air in order to deliver almost pure oxygen to patient under Oxygen Therapy. Rising attention was given for zeolite synthesis from waste materials in order to abate the high costs related to such process. The latter approach constitutes also a valid support for the development of Oxygen Concentrators in rural countries such as the African one. In this work a systematic literature research was performed in order to detect all the low-cost/waste materials adopted in literature as aluminum and silicon sources for the synthesis of zeolites X (NaX) that are the ones used for the design of medical oxygen concentrators. Moreover, the African scenario was analyzed and Coal Fly Ash , with an estimated production of 12 Mtons/y by 2030, was selected as the best alternative for zeolite synthesis in this country