Mechanism of simultaneous removal of Ca2+, Ni2+, Pb2+ and Al3+ ions from aqueous solutions using Purolite® S930 ion exchange resin

The sorption mechanism of Ca2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Al3+on ion exchange resin S930 has been studied as a function of pH in both mono-component and quaternary systems at ion ratio 1:1:1:1. The equilibrium of ion exchange process in mono-component systems has been followed as an adsorption process and it was tested for Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations. The selectivity coefficient of the resin for these cations varied in different manners depending on the pH range. The structural characteristics of pores in the initial resin and the resin after contact with synthetic solutions at pH 3.03 and 3.95 have been investigated by using SEM and EDAX techniques.