Sustainable synthesis of BEA zeolite from fly ash-based amorphous silica
Abstract
Power generation in South Africa depends majorly on the combustion of coal and the
increasing demand for energy due to industrialisation and population growth signifies the
continuous consumption of coal. During this process, a by-product known as coal fly ash
(CFA) is generated which poses several environmental issues. The common management of
the waste involves the disposal of CFA in landfills or the direct disposal to open uncultured
lands, thus contaminating water bodies by the leaching of constituent CFA metals and salts
that render arable land uncultivable.