Implications of Weak Donnan Potential in Ion-Exchange Reactions. An Alternate Strategy for Modeling Sorption Processes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Donnan potential generated during an ion-exchange process is conventionally believed to play an important role in partitioning co-ions in the resin and solution phases; most earlier studies implied near total exclusion of co-ions from the resin pores. The present work attempts to investigate implications of weak Donnan potential with specific reference to the sorption of acids on weak base resins. An alternate mathematical treatment has been proposed to describe the sorption behavior of any type of acid by assuming diffusion and sorption of single species, the composite acid molecule, in the resin pores. Fick's law is then used to characterize the diffusion process. The proposed model is validated using data reported in the literature for the sorption of a strong monobasic acid (HCl) and also for a weak monobasic acid (HCOOH). The fit of the model is excellent, and the regressed values of the effective diffusion coefficient are shown to be reasonable and correct to the order of magnitude. The model is expected to offer a simpler and unified approach for modeling sorption behavior of different types of acids and will be more useful in problems of acid separation from mixtures.