Ion Exchange Resins

Pacific Water Technology is an Australian supplier of a various high performance ion exchange resins including chelating resins used in a multitude of applications.  Ion exchange resins are polymers that are capable of exchanging particular ions within the polymer with ions in a solution that is passed through them. Ion exchangers are insoluble acids or bases which have salts which are also insoluble, and this enables them to exchange either positively charged ions (cation exchangers) or negatively charged ones (anion exchangers).

Ion Exchange Resins  are more effective than conventional adsorbents like activated carbon for some applications like removal of tannins and other organics like fulvic and humic substances. Strict quality standards are maintained and samples tested in an in-house laboratory compliant with ISO, WQA  and FDA standards.  Exchange resins are used in various applications:

Water Treatment Industry

In the water treatment industry ion exchange resins are commonly employed  for water softening and demineralisation , dealkalisation and mixed bed polishing.  Examples are the production of ultrapure water for high pressure boilers.

Other examples include:

• Nitrate/Nitrite removal in water
• Boron removal ( seawater) or bore water
• Perchlorate removal
• Heavy Metals Removal

Food Industry

Ion exchange is commonly employed in many food processing industries.  Generally the processes involved are ion exchange, adsorption and chromatography   to achieve purification, recovery or separation. Ion exchange resins (IER) and polymeric adsorbents are used for various applications as listed below:

• Softening
• Deionisation
• Deacidification
• Decolourisation
• Removal of unwanted odours
• Purification
• Chromatographic separations
• Supports for enzyme immobilisation
• Recovery of valued products and  subsequent elution
• Removal of pesticides and patulin
• Removal of heavy metals
• Bitterness removal in citrus such as limonin
• Adjusting Brix/Acid Ratio in juices

Herbal Extraction

There are a number of ways of botanical extraction of the essential oils and key hydrophilic components with the extraction methods also depending on the complexity of the key components.

Our range of herbal extraction resins have a strong reputation with proven track record.  The scope of applications of the resins include the extraction of saponin, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenols and also pigments for decolouration and impurity removal.

Precious Metal Recovery

There is a wide range of applications in the hydrometallurgical extraction of precious metals.  This includes gallium recovery from Bayer liquor where we can offer a turnkey solution including a continuous recovery for alumina producers, resulting in significant increase in output of Gallium.

Aquarium Treatment.

There is a number of ion selective resins used for treatment of aquarium water:

• Removal of organics
• Removal of nitrates
• Removal of silicates
• Removal of phosphates

The range of ion exchange resins also extends to mixed bed resins that change colour when exhausted. As these resins are mixed bed used for removal of cations and anions, they cannot be regenerated.

Pacific Water Technology have opened a new warehouse in Seventeen Mile Rocks, Queensland where we stock a wide range of ion exchange resins and synthetic adsorbents. We also design and supply ion exchange equipment and provide technical support.  Enquiries contact us on sales@pacificwater.com.au