Pollutant removal from water by ZSM-5 is contingent on pH, pore structure, and hydrophobicity . Since there is more silica to aluminium in ZSM-5, these factors underlaid the inferior performance of the raw ZSM-5, when compared to the zinc-reinforced, as they affected the interaction between ZSM-5 and water (including the adsorbates) . This provides some explanation of the factors that influenced the differential outcome of copper extraction across treatments over time. Further, the partial reinforcement of the zeolite with zinc in our method counterbalanced the decrease in adsorption sites and strength of interaction with water . As it did in offering a rewarding alternative for chemical treatment conventionally applied to increase selectivity and mesopore formation .