Nitrogen oxides and low molecular weight hydrocarbons are removed from air
by subjecting the air to a temperature swing adsorption process using as
the adsorbent a composite zeolite product containing both zeolite type A
and zeolite type X. The composite zeolite product is prepared by
crystallizing a sodium ion- or sodium ion- and potassium ion-containing
alumina-silica hydrogel under conditions which result in the production of
a zeolitic composite which contains both zeolite type A and zeolite type X
crystal domains. In a preferred embodiment, calcium ions constitute a
substantial number of the composite's exchangeable cations and the type X
portion of the composite zeolite product has a silicon-to-aluminum atomic
ratio in the range of 0.9 to less than 1.15. The nitrogen oxide- and
hydrocarbon-selective adsorbent can be incorporated into an atmospheric
air prepurification plant downstream of a water vapor-selective adsorbent
and a carbon dioxide-selective adsorbent.