Ion Exchange Process for Removal of Microconstituents From Water and Wastewater

Microconstituents (MCs) are one of the major concerns in water and wastewater streams. Several trace organic MCs such as steroids, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and natural and synthetic organic MCs are not fully removed by conventional wastewater treatment processes and are often found in reclaimed water mediums. Advanced treatment processes such as membrane bioreactors, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and catalytic oxidation are effective for removal of MCs; however, the high cost of operation is a major challenge associated with these approaches. Ion exchange is the phenomena that involves the reversible exchange of ions between a solid substance (ion exchange resin) and an aqueous solution. Based on the specificity of the ions that a resin discharges to the aqueous solution or water, the process possibly will purify the water or control the concentration of a specific ion in a solution. This is a flexible process that is applied proficiently toward the wastewater treatment. Ion exchange resins play a significant role in removal and recovery of inorganic and organic pollutants from the surface and wastewater. This chapter discusses the material, type, and the functionalities of ion exchange resins and their application for removal of MCs from water and wastewater. The mechanism and kinetics of ion exchange process are briefly discussed. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.