NOVELTY - Separating zinc and nickel in waste water, comprises adding solid obtained by desolventizing wastewater in the synthesis of 2,2'-bipyridine into aqueous ammonia and ammonium sulfate, heating, performing alkaline hydrolysis, extracting, heating solution containing nickel and zinc, deaminating, heating, adding zinc powder and antimony trioxide, insulating, depositing by hot filtering, adding ammonium hydrogen carbonate to filtrate, stirring, carrying out suction filtration, washing to obtain basic zinc carbonate, adding sulfuric acid, obtaining zinc ammonium sulfate, washing, and concentrating.    USE - The method is useful for separating zinc and nickel in waste water (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method is simple in operation, economical and environmentally friendly; reduces the cost of 2,2'-bipyridine synthesis, and optimizes the whole technological process.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Separating zinc and nickel in waste water comprises (a) adding 240-270 kg solid obtained by desolventizing wastewater in the synthesis of 2,2'-bipyridine into 900-1000 kg 20% aqueous ammonia and 150-250 kg ammonium sulfate and heating to 40-60 degrees C and performing alkaline hydrolysis for 4-5 hour, and extracting with toluene to obtain a solution containing nickel and zinc catalyst; (b) heating the solution obtained in the step (a), and deaminating at pH of 7-8; (c) heating the solution to 60-80 degrees C, adding 3-8 kg zinc powder and 3-8 kg antimony trioxide, and insulating for 1-3 hours; (d) depositing the solution obtained from step (c) by hot filtering, adding 50-100 kg ammonium hydrogen carbonate to the filtrate, stirring at room temperature for 4-8 hours, carrying out suction filtration, and washing with water to obtain basic zinc carbonate; (e) after suction filtration, adding sulfuric acid to the filtrate, adjusting the pH value to 1-4, obtaining zinc ammonium sulfate, and applying to the next batch of zinc deposition; and (f) washing the solution obtained in step (e) with water, and concentrating, where the obtained solid ammonium sulfate is used as a raw material for the production of fertilizer.