CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION
Ion exchange resins are polymer materials that hold fixed positive and negative charges.

These charges are exchanged with mobile cations, or anions, in a process called ion exchange.

Currently, two of the primary applications of ion exchange are water softening and deionization.

The largest application of ion exchange in the water treatment is for softening, wherein it uses a

cation exchange resin to remove the calcium and magnesium ions from water.

For this experiment, students used amberlite resin in chloride form to clear a permanganate

solution. We compared the batch-wise ion exchange with constant resin mass, batch wise ion

exchange with constant permanganate concentration and continuous fixed bed ion exchange to see

the effect of different concentration, mass of resin and volume of permanganate solution on the

rate of ion exchange.

We therefore conclude that the rate of ion exchange decreases as we increase the

concentration of permanganate ions with constant amount of resin. This is demonstrated by the

increase in the total contact time required for the permanganate solution to become clear. Next, the

rate of ion exchange increases as we increase the amount of resin. This is caused by the increase

of functional groups which attract biomolecules of the opposite charge thus can carry out the ion

exchange and is further demonstrated by the decrease of total contact time required for the

permanganate solution to become clear. Until the resins are saturated with counter ions, there will

be no leakage in a fixed bed ion exchange column even if we increase the flow rate and/or the

concentration of the permanganate solution.

 RECOMMENDATIONS

We recommend that if the resin is already exhausted, it is necessary to regenerate it using

a saturated solution like sodium chloride solution to restore the capacity of the resin and return the

resin to its initial condition and to continue to facilitate its ion exchange reactions. During

regeneration, the regenerant chemical is passed through the resin and trapped negative ions are

flushed out, renewing the resins’ exchange capacity.

 APPENDIX D

DOCUMENTATION

Figure 7.1: Weighing of 6 grams and 5 grams of Amberlite Resin

Figure 7.2: Dropping of KMnO4 and mixing of solution

Figure 7.3: After 10mins of mixing Figure 7.4: Clear solution of KCl

Figures 7.5: Reading the % Transmittance of the solution

Figure 7.6: Ion Exchange Apparatus