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Meeting California's Hexavalent Chromium MCL Using Strong Base Anion Exchange Resin
Author(s) -
Li Xue,
Green Peter G.,
Seidel Chad,
Gorman Craig,
Darby Jeannie L.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.5942/jawwa.2016.108.0112
Subject(s) - hexavalent chromium , chromium , brine , ion exchange resin , chemistry , sulfate , ion exchange , environmental engineering , waste management , environmental chemistry , nuclear chemistry , environmental science , ion , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
The use of five strong base anion exchange resins to treat three potable groundwater sources to meet the new California maximum contaminant level (MCL) for hexavalent chromium (10 μg/L) was investigated. Depending on the resin used, bed volumes treated before breakthrough of total chromium (to 8 μg/L) ranged from approximately 13,800 to 26,400. At the point of resin exhaustion, uptake of total chromium (meq/L) accounted for less than 1% of the exchange capacity reported by resin vendors, whereas the uptake of sulfate accounted for 54–76%. Reusing the brine nine times produced a tenfold reduction in the volume of spent brine requiring ultimate disposal without significantly impairing resin performance. Chromium breakthrough profiles were relatively insensitive to a change in empty bed contact time (0.75 and 2.25 min) and hydraulic loading rates (8–55 mL/min‐cm 2 , 1.96–13.5 gpm/sf).