Removing Organics With Ion Exchange Resin

DeSilva, Francis J., Water Conditioning & Purification Magazine, 1997

It is not too often that a water known as tannins and are high region. They are present in water
treatment problem can be fixed molecular weight humic and folic that comes in contact with partially
without spending money on new acids. They are aromatic decomposed plants. The most
equipment, but when treating hydrocarbons with carboxylic common types are tannic acid
water for the removal of organics, groups with multiple benzene (from wood and tree bark) and
the answer may be as simple as rings. Tannins do not pose a health humic acid (from leaves). Tannins
adding a small amount of anion hazard. However, these organics tend to be yellowish or straw
resin to an existing softener. can act as precursors to colored, while humic acid tends to
trihalomethanes (THM's) which be brown to black in color. Humic
Organic materials can cause are formed after an organic substances can form complexes
unwanted tastes, colors or odors in containing water is chlorinated. with iron; when iron is complexed
potable water supplies, and can Tannins are usually found in with the organic, it is referred to as
stain clothes washed in water surface water supplies and shallow "heme" iron or organic iron.
containing these compounds. wells, and can vary widely Methods for removal
Chemically these substances are depending on the geographic The organics in water can be ox
iodized by chlorine or ozone, after The organics are strongly The presence of other inorganic
which the water is passed through attracted to anion resin. The ions (sulfate, alkalinity, nitrate, etc.)
granular activated carbon. However, selectivity or degree of attraction is can influence the removal of
chlorine or ozone systems may not about the same as is that for the organics by competing for the
be the most convenient choice for sulfate ion. However, the size of the exchange sites on the resin, with
small home units. Activated carbon, organic molecules can present a sulfates representing the strongest
when used alone, has a very limited kinetic hindrance because it is competition. Also, the rate of
capacity for organic removal and
can actually function as a breeding
ground for microbial growth.
Reverse osmosis systems can do a
COOH
good job of organic removal by OH
O

easily rejecting the high molecular O

HO OH
O
H 3C O

COOH C=O C COOH

weight acids. For home use, though, ( C )X ( C )X (C )
O
( C )X (C )X
O

X ( C )X O
H 3C O OH OH OH
special types of anion resins, OH
OH

O C H3 O C H3 OCH OH
=

3 OH
O
OH OH
sometimes called organic O O O

N
scavengers, can remove the organics
safely and economically.
F ig u r e 1 P r o p o s e d s t r u c tu r e o f c o lo r e d h u m u s m o le c u le
Anion resins in the chloride
form exchange for the organics,
which are present in water as weak difficult for the large organic to exchange for organics is slower than
acids. Anion resins will also penetrate inside of the bead to the that of the inorganics.
exchange with other negatively interior exchange sites. This means
charged ions, such as sulfates, that the ion exchange reaction Types of resins
nitrates and bicarbonates. between the resin and the organic Styrene-based gel or
For an anion resin to be occurs quickly at the surface of the macroporous anion resins can be
successful in removing organics, it resin, but proceeds slowly as the used to remove organics. However,
must not only be able to remove the organic gradually penetrates the only certain types of these resins
organic acid by ion exchange, it beads. Since most of the ion can be used for successful
must also be able to elute the exchange sites are not on the surface operation. An important
organic off of the resin during of the bead, there is a limit to the characteristic of the resin is the
regeneration. Several types of anion rate at which the resin can exchange moisture retention, as an anion resin
resins operating in the chloride form with organics. with a high moisture content is
are capable of this. structurally less dense. This means
that the ions being exchanged have
more room or water to move around
in, which is beneficial for large 3 -2 n

molecules such as organic acids that COO

are slow-moving because of their HUMUS n Fe

size. The moisture-to-capacity ratio O

is also important because it affects
the regeneration efficiency.
Surprisingly, a lower capacity resin F ig u r e 2 P r o p o s e d l i n k a g e w i t h h u m u s a n d ir o n
is preferable because it gives a
higher moisture-to-capacity ratio.
Other resins that can be used are
the range of two to 10 gallons per form. Don't use too much or you
acrylic-based. Acrylic-based anion
minute per cubic foot of resin. might risk problems with odors from
resins are good candidates for
the resin during the subsequent
organic removal because of their
service run.
resistance to fouling. They are more
Regeneration Fouling
hydrophilic than the gel resins,
The chemical used to regenerate Anion resins used for organics
which means that they have a lower
the resin is ordinary salt or brine. removal, whether styrene-based or
attraction to organics. They still
Organic removal resins used as the acrylic-based, have the potential to
remove organics very effectively,
top layer in a softener need no become organically fouled if they
but release them more readily
additional brine beyond the are run too long between
during regeneration.
softener's normal dosage. The anion regenerations. This can be
resin utilizes the chloride ion of the minimized by regenerating
Equipment required sodium chloride regenerant while frequently and on a timed cycle.
The simplest scheme for organic
the softener resin uses the sodium Don't wait for organics to break
treatment in the home is to place the
ion. through to terminate a service run. If
anion resin into an existing softener
The chloride ion concentration a resin does become fouled, try the
unit. Since the anion resin is lighter,
in brine (10 to 15 percent) is high following procedure:
it will form the upper layer in the
enough to reverse the resin's
unit after each backwash. A six-inch
selectivity for organic acids, causing 1. Perform a normal regeneration to
layer of resin should be sufficient; a
the resin to exchange for chlorides remove the organics that are easily
single cubic foot is enough resin for
and release organic acids (and other eluted off of the resin.
two, three or even four typically
ions that were collected during the
sized residential units.
run, such as sulfate, nitrate and 2. Prepare a ten percent solution of
It is important to safeguard
alkalinity). This regeneration 10 pounds of sodium chloride, three
against loss of the anion resin
exchange is just like that of a pounds of soda ash per cubic foot, at
through backwash because of its
chloride cycle dealkalizer except 125 F. These amounts are for a
lower density. Most softeners that
that the rate of exchange for single cubic foot, so adjust the
also include anion resin for organics
organics is very slow compared to proportion accordingly.
removal have screened upper
other anions. This is because the
internals so that no anion resin can
organics that have penetrated the 3. Introduce the solution to the resin
be lost during backwash. It is also a
resin cannot quickly return to the at the normal brine flow rate or
good idea to reduce the backwash
surface of the resin where the slightly slower.
rate to an equivalent of three gallons
exchange is taking place.
per minute per square foot of
Organics are more easily 4. Allow the final bed volume of
cross-sectional area of the unit
regenerated off of the resin in a solution to soak in the bed for a few
(about one-half the backwash flow
slightly alkaline environment. For hours or even overnight.
rate of a standard softener). This
tough applications, the addition to
reduction is absolutely essential if
the brine of one pound of soda ash 5. Rinse the unit.
there are no strainers or screening
per cubic foot of anion resin (scale
on the upper internals of the unit.
accordingly to the size of the unit) 6. Perform a normal brine
The organic scavenger resin can
will help attain a more complete regeneration before returning the
also be designed as a stand-alone
regeneration. The soda ash puts unit to service.
unit. These units should be sized in
some of the resin into the carbonate
Water Conditioning & Purification
 Cleaning organically fouled put the resin back into the chloride organics. The resin can be added as
anion resin requires time, elevated form. the top layer of an existing softener
pH, and is helped by high It is important to put the resin unit and in most cases can be
temperatures. The organic ions are back into the chloride form to regenerated with the normal
slow-moving and require more time minimize the potential for odor softener brine. The types of resins
than standard ions for elution, and problems. The alkaline resin available include gels, acrylics and
the organic acids are more soluble at cleaning treatments can leave the macroporous versions of either. A
a higher pH. Also, higher resin in the carbonate or hydroxide gel resin with a high
temperatures increase the rate of form, which imparts a fishy, or moisture-to-capacity ratio will give
reaction. amine odor and taste to the treated long life and be very resistant to
If a resin is severely fouled by water. In fact, the smell may even fouling. An acrylic will ion
organics, substitute sodium appear during normal service while exchange resins give higher initial
hydroxide instead of soda ash in the treating an alkaline water supply capacity but may have a tendency to
above procedure, but use only one (when pH is greater than eight). foul over time. Organics vary
to two pounds per cubic foot of Some users have found that a small widely from region to region, and
resin. Resin that has been fouled amount of citric acid added to the experience with systems operating
with heme iron will benefit by the brine solution every few on the same water supply give the
addition of eight ounces of sodium regenerations can minimize the odor best guidance for resin selection.
bisulfite to the solution prepared in problem.
Step 2. For anion resins that do not Chemically, the fishy odor is About the author
respond well to either treatment, a caused by the presence of ◆ Francis J. DeSilva has been
treatment with ordinary bleach trimethylamines. This is the amine technical representative for
(sodium hypochlorite) may clean it that is used in the manufacture of ResinTech, Inc. of Cherry Hill, NJ,
up. Substitute a few ounces of anion resins and gives the resin its a supplier of ion exchange resins to
bleach for the soda ash in Step 2, ability to exchange ions. High purity the OEM market, for five years and
and limit Step 4 to just one or two grades of organic scavenger resins a veteran of the industry for 16.
hours. are available that have been DeSilva earned his Bachelor of
Always use caution while using specially pre-treated to minimize Science degree in environmental
strong chemicals on systems that are odor problems. science technology from Florida
treating water intended for human Institute Of Technology and his
contact or consumption. Always Summary master's degree in environmental
follow a cleaning procedure with Special forms of anion resin engineering from the New Jersey
sufficient rinsing and a normal operating in the chloride cycle can Institute of Technology.
(sometimes double) regeneration to do an effective job of removing

Water Conditioning & Purification