The removal of nitrate from drinking water, natural water by ion exchange using ion exchange resin, purolite A520E and A500

Abstract

Water pollution nitrates contamination of drinking water sources is a global environmental problem causing eutrophication of receiving surface waters, higher levels of nitrates being toxic for infants. Efficient removal of different levels of nitrates in ground water and surface water by using two types of ion exchange resin, A520E and A500 Purolite, was experimentally studied in a fixed bed adsorption column in laboratory scale. Adsorption kinetics was well described by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models for an amount of 2 g resin and concentrations between 10.18 to 66.8 mg NO3-.L-1. The maximum nitrate removal rate in the real water used in this study was 87.2% for the Purolite A500 resin and 91.6% for the Purolite A520E resin, indicating a higher efficiency of the A520E resin.