Chemically active textile materials as efficient means for water purification

Abstract

Fibrous ion exchangers (FIBAN) have been studied in a model process of water softening and removal from water simultaneously present heavy metal ions: Co 2+, Ni 2+, Zn 2+, Cd 2+, Cu 2+, Pb 2+. The effect of the following factors on the efficiency of Ca 2+ removal from a model solution has been studied: the filtering bed height (7–40 mm); density of the column packing corresponding to the volume capacity, 0.17–0.83 meq/cm 3; solution flow rate (4–37cm/min). A fibrous sulfonic-type ion exchanger in shallow beds has exhibited a high efficiency in removal Ca 2+ from water, greatly exceeding efficiency of a conventional sulfostyrene resin studied in parallel. In all cases high breakthrough capacities corresponding to the degree of column utilization, 0.6–0.9, have been observed. In the processes of water purification from heavy metal ions the highest efficiency was observed for chelating fibrous ion exchanger with iminodiacetete groups. A granular resin of the same type had much lower efficiency. Fibrous ion exchangers can find a wide application in water treatment processes.