Abstract: A process for impregnating zeolite with permanganate, such as potassium permanganate, and a product of such process. The process preferably includes the steps of dehydrating zeolite crystals to have about 5% moisture content, mixing the dehydrated zeolite crystals with solid permanganate (preferably potassium permanganate crystals), immersing the solid mixture in, or spraying the solid mixture with, water at about 190.degree. F. and mixing the resulting slurry, and then drying the mixed slurry to produce permanganate-impregnated zeolite crystals having about 15% moisture content. In other preferred embodiments, the inventive method includes the steps of impregnating zeolite with a quaternary ammonium cation (QAC) and then coating the impregnated zeolite with permanganate, or impregnating zeolite with permanganate and then coating the impregnated zeolite with a QAC.