ION Exchange Resins in Water Treatment Flashcards
What are the four types of ion exchange resins used in water treatment?
- Weakly Acidic Cation (WAC),
- Strongly Acidic Cation (SAC),
- Weakly Basic Anion (WBA),
- Strongly Basic Anion (SBA)
What does Weakly Acidic Cation (WAC) Resin do?
Removes calcium and magnesium linked to bicarbonate, reducing alkalinity (temporary hardness)
How does WAC Resin work?
It swaps hydrogen (H⁺) ions for calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) in water
What is WAC Resin best for?
De-alkalization (removing bicarbonate hardness)
What does Strongly Acidic Cation (SAC) Resin do?
Removes all metal cations (calcium, magnesium, iron) at any pH
How does SAC Resin work?
It replaces metal ions with hydrogen (H⁺) or sodium (Na⁺) ions
What is SAC Resin best for?
Water softening and preventing scale buildup in reverse osmosis systems
What does Weakly Basic Anion (WBA) Resin do?
Removes strong acid anions (like chloride and sulfate) but does not remove weak acids (carbon dioxide or silica)
How does WBA Resin work?
It captures negatively charged ions (anions) from strong acids
What is WBA Resin best for?
Treating water contaminated with nitrates (such as from fertilizers)
What does Strongly Basic Anion (SBA) Resin do?
Removes all anions when using hydroxyl (OH⁻) ions, or specific anions like nitrate and sulfate when using chloride (Cl⁻)
How does SBA Resin work?
It swaps out negative ions with hydroxyl (OH⁻) for full demineralization or chloride (Cl⁻) for targeted removal
What is SBA Resin best for?
Complete demineralization (removing all minerals) or targeting specific contaminants (like nitrates and sulfates)
What’s the difference between WAC and SAC resins?
WAC removes calcium and magnesium linked to bicarbonate (temporary hardness); SAC removes all metal cations (calcium, magnesium, iron) at any pH
What’s the difference between WBA and SBA resins?
WBA removes strong acid anions (like chloride & sulfate) but NOT weak acids (CO₂, silica); SBA can remove all anions (if using hydroxyl) or target specific ones (if using chloride)
