H+-Ca2+ Equilibrium Exchange on Polyacrylic Cationites

Abstract

Potentiometric titration curves of carboxyl-containing polyacrylic cation exchangers (Amberlite IRC 86, Dowex MAC 3, Lewatit CNP 80, Purolite C 104, and Relite CNS) in the H form with calcium ions were measured. It was found that the apparent equilibrium constant strongly depended on the composition of resinate solutions, which was indicative of significant deviations of solutions in the cation exchanger gel phase from the ideal behavior. The largest deviations were observed for Dowex MAC 3 ion exchanger, and the smallest, for Amberlite IRC 86. For the other sorbents, the dependences coincided to within measurement errors. The experimental data were treated in terms of six models of the theory of exchange equilibria. The best approximation to titration curves was obtained in terms of the model that suggested the presence of two types of exchange centers in ion exchangers and took into account the influence of the state of three neighboring fixed groups on each spatially separated center. The amounts of centers of all types in the ion exchangers were determined. Differences in the selectivity of the cation exchangers with respect to calcium ions were explained.