Boron Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Strong Base Anion-exchange Resin Batch and Column Experiments

Abstract

Borate ion exchange capacity of Purolite NRW600 strong base anion resin in hydroxide form and mixed bed NRW600+NRW100 ion exchange was investigated with static experiments. Anion exchange resin was saturated with 0.1–45 g/dm³ concentration boric acid solution in a static mixer at 20, 30, 40 and 50 °C at 150 rpm for 24 hours. Remaining borate content of saturation solutions was deter-mined with ion chromatography and ICP-OES. The amount of fixed borate as borate anions increased with the saturation borate concentration as well as in case of simple anion exchange as in case of mixed bed.
Column sorption-elution study was carried out by using strong base anion exchange resins (Purolite NRW600 and Amberlite IRN78). Resins in hydroxide and in chloride forms were saturated in column with 5–40 g/dm³ boric acid solution in excess. The resin was then eluted with 200 cm³ salt free water with 5 cm³/min at 25 °C and then eluted by 1 mol/dm³ sodium-sulfate solution with 5 cm³/min. The effluent was collected and analyzed for borate content by titrimetric method. In chloride form the resin adsorbed and released much less borate. Effective borate and polyborate sorption needs hydroxide ions in resin phase.