Removal of Hardness of Earth Alkaline Metals from Aqueous Solutions by Ion Exchange Method

Abstract

An ion exchange process was introduced as an approach for softening of artificial hard water solutions. A strong acid cation exchange resin, Amberlite IR 120 [Na+], was used to reduce the hardness of water with the matrix of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer having functional group as sulfonate. The ion exchange behavior of the ions of calcium and magnesium in synthetic solutions of hard water was investigated with the variables depending on pH, stirrer speed of the solutions and amount of the resin as a function of contact time between resin phase and hard water solution. The maximum ion exchange capacity was found to be 68 mg/g for Ca(II) and 12 mg/g for Mg(II) at pH 3.0. The method is a simple and efficient one to remove calcium and magnesium hardness from hard water solutions with the resin having more selectivity for calcium.