The treatment of chabazite (CHA), a natural zeolite, with the alkaline hydrothermal method to improve its ion-exchange capacity is a widely adopted route by environmental scientists for the purpose of better ammonium ( ${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_4^{+}$ ) removal from wastewater. This video addresses a noteworthy trend in environmental science, where researchers, impressed by the increased ion-exchange capacity achieved through alkaline hydrothermal treatment, often bypass the thorough material characterization of treated CHA. The prevalent misconception attributes the improved features solely to the parent zeolitic framework, neglecting the fact that corrosive treatments like this, can induce significant alterations in the framework and that must be identified with correct nomenclature, thus further. In this video, the meticulous compositional study of zeolitic materials, a well-established practice in the field of material science, is advocated for adoption by environmental chemists. By embracing this approach, environmental scientists can enhance their comprehension of the intricate changes induced by corrosive treatments, thereby contributing to a more nuanced understanding of zeolitic behavior in environmental contexts.