
– A&C Pure Water Treatment Anion resins and cation resins are the two most common resins used in the ion exchange process. The difference between anion and cation resins is that one is positively charged (anion) and the other is negatively charged (cation).
What is the difference between anion and cation resins?
The difference between anion and cation resins is that one is positively charged (anion) and the other is negatively charged (cation). Negatively charged ions are attracted to positively charged anion resins vs. cation resins, which attract positive ions with their negative charge.
What is the ratio of ion exchange resin to cation resin?
The ratio is normally 2 parts cation resin to 3 parts anion resin. The ion exchange resin is contained in a vessel with a volume of several cubic feet.
Can cation and anion resin beads be used together?
Cation and anion resin beads can be used together (mixed bed configuration) or in separate vessels (twin bed configuration), depending on the needs of the facility and if total removal of positively and negatively charged ions are required.
What is the role of cation resin in high purity water?
Cation resin removes positively charged ions (cations) & replaces with H + ions. In a high purity water cation present in ppb levels very small amount.

What is cation and anion in water treatment?
Water softeners remove cations (positively charged ions such as calcium and magnesium) and replace them with sodium. Anion exchange devices remove anions (negatively charged ions such as arsenic and nitrate) and replace them with chloride.
What is the difference between cation and anion?
An anion may be defined as an atom or molecule that is negatively charged. A cation may be defined as an atom or molecule that is positively charged. Anions and cations are both ions. They have an opposite electrical charge, therefore they get attracted to each other.
What is anionic resin?
Anion exchange resins consist of a polymeric matrix to which different functional groups are attached. Most weakly basic anion exchangers contain tertiary amino groups; in a few cases primary and secondary groups are also encountered.
What is cation in water treatment?
All natural waters contain, in various concentrations, dissolved salts which dissociate in water to form charged ions. Positively charged ions are called cations; negatively charged ions are called anions. Ionic impurities can seriously affect the reliability and operating efficiency of a boiler or process system.
What are cations and anions explain with examples?
Cation: Atoms that carry positive charges are called cations. Example; Na+ Anion: Atoms which carry negative charge are called anions. Example; Cl−
Is chlorine a cation or anion?
Cation vs anion chartCationAnionChargePositiveNegativeElectrode attracted toCathode (negative)Anode (positive)Formed byMetal atomsNon-metal atomsExamplesSodium (Na+), Iron (Fe2+), Ammonium (NH4+)Chloride (Cl-), Bromide (Br-), Sulfate (SO42-)Aug 15, 2019
How does cation resin work?
In a cation-exchange resin all the sites are negatively charged, so that only positive ions can be separated; an anion-exchange resin has positively charged sites. Ion-exchange chromatography has become one of the most important methods for separating proteins and small oligonucleotides.
Does anion resin lower pH?
Anion resin will remove alkalinity and the pH will be suppressed during the service cycle. pH adjustment may be required.
What is cation-exchange resin used for?
Cation-exchange resins are used to treat hyperkalaemia by accelerating potassium loss through the gut, especially in the context of poor urine output or before dialysis (the most effective means of treating hyperkalaemia).
What is the main action of cation and anion exchange resin?
Ion exchange resins consists of two main types, i.e., cation exchange resins, that exchange positively charged ions, such as sodium, for calcium, and anion exchange resins, that exchange negatively charged ions, such as chloride, for arsenic.
What is the difference between the cation exchange capacity and anion exchange capacity?
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) represents the quantity of negative charge available to attract cations. Anion exchange capacity (AEC) represents the positive charge available to attract anions in solution.
What is cation and anion exchanger?
Ion exchangers are either cation exchangers, which exchange positively charged ions (cations), or anion exchangers, which exchange negatively charged ions (anions). There are also amphoteric exchangers that are able to exchange both cations and anions simultaneously.
What is a weak base anion resin?
Weak base anion resins. Weak base anion (WBA) exchange resins are often paired with SBA units for demineralization applications as they only remove anions associated with stronger acids (like chloride and sulfate) and will not remove weak acids (like carbon dioxide and silica). This can be beneficial for facilities that wish to remove ...
What is the difference between cation and anion resin?
The main difference between cation and anion resins is that one is positively charged (cation) and the other is negatively charged (anion). This makes them useful in removing different types of contaminants (which will also vary depending on their size and chemical composition). Cation and anion resin beads can be used together (mixed bed ...
What are the different types of resins used in water treatment?
Although anion and cation exchange resins are the main two categories of resins used in ion exchange, there are four main types for standard water treatment that include: Strong base anion. Weak base anion. Strong acid cation. Weak acid cation. Below is a general overview of what each of these types of resins are:
What is the neutralizing counterion in resin beads?
Each resin bead must also contain a neutralizing counterion that is able to move in and out of the bead , which is replaced with an ion of similar charge during the process of ion exchange (when an aqueous solution is passed through the beads and the ion exchange occurs, removing the undesirable contaminant).
Can SAC resin be damaged?
Certain varieties of SAC resins have also been developed for applications demanding removal of barium and radium from drinking water or other streams. SAC resins can be damaged by oxidants and fouled by iron or manganese, so care must be taken to avoid exposure of the resin to these materials.
Is SBA resin strong?
They are available in multiple varieties, each of which offer a unique set of benefits and constraints, but in general, SBA resins are strong enough to remove both strong and weak acids (including carbonic and silicic acid).
Can cation and anion beads be used together?
Cation and anion resin beads can be used together (mixed bed configuration) or in separate vessels (twin bed configuration), depending on the needs of the facility and if total removal of positively and negatively charged ions are required. Although anion and cation exchange resins are the main two categories of resins used in ion exchange, ...
What is a controlled backwash?
In the case of mixed bed resin, a controlled backwash causes the resin to separate and two manifolds function to direct acid to the cation and caustic to the anion. Alternatively, the resin may be furnished in vessels by the WaterProfessionals® and regenerated off site, with the many advantages shown under deionization.
What are the two types of ion exchange resins?
There are two general types of ion exchange resins: those that exchange positive ions , called cation exchange resins, and those that exchange negative ions , called anion exchange resins. A cation is an ion with a positive charge. Common cations include Ca +2, Mg +2, Fe +2, and H +1. A cation resin is one that exchanges positive ions. An anion is an ion with a negative charge. Common anions include Cl -1, SO4 -2, and OH -1 . An anion resin is one that exchanges negative ions. Chemically, both types are similar and belong to a group of compounds called polymers, which are extremely large molecules that are formed by the combination of many molecules of one or two compounds in a repeating structure that produces long chains. A demineralizer is a vessel, usually with a volume of several cubic feet, that contains the resin.
How many vessels are in a two bed demineralizer?
Two-bed demineralizers have two vessels, the first containing cation resin followed by a separate vessel containing anion resin. Physically, ion exchange resins are formed in the shape of very small beads, called resin beads, with an average diameter of about 0.5 millimeters.
What is the difference between a cation and an anion?
Common cations include Ca +2, Mg +2, Fe +2, and H +1. A cation resin is one that exchanges positive ions. An anion is an ion with a negative charge. Common anions include Cl -1, SO4 -2, and OH -1 . An anion resin is one that exchanges negative ions. Chemically, both types are similar and belong to a group of compounds called polymers, ...
What is a demineralizer?
A demineralizer is a vessel, usually with a volume of several cubic feet, that contains the resin. A demineralizer may contain an intimate mixture of both cation exchange resins and anion exchange resins and is called a mixed bed. Two-bed demineralizers have two vessels, the first containing cation resin followed by a separate vessel containing ...
What is the purpose of ion exchange?
Ion exchange is a process used extensively in nuclear facilities, industrial processes and medical and pharmaceutical operations to control the purity and pH of water by removing undesirable ions ...
What is ion exchange?
An ion exchange is the reversible exchange of ions between a liquid and a solid. This process is generally used to remove undesirable ions from a liquid and substitute acceptable ions from the solid (resin). The devices in which ion exchange occurs are commonly called demineralizers. This name is derived from the term demineralize, ...
What is a cation anion?
Cation-Anion. Cation-Anion ion exchangers are used to produce demineralised water. In this process, it is important that both positively and negatively charged ions are removed. Therefore a treatment in 2 steps is required. First the ion-rich water will flow into the cationresin-column.
What happens when resins are saturated?
This exchange happens very fast, so there is no long contact time required. When these resins are saturated, there is a regeneration with acid (usually HCI or H 2 SO 4 ). After the cation bottle the liquid enters the anion bottle.
How long does it take for an ion exchanger to regenerate?
Such a regeneration takes several hours, depending on the resin volume. Another disadvantage is that the use of acid and base is necessary, which involves some safety issues. An ion exchanger can be used to produce demineralised water based on fresh water. This can be well water, city water, rainwater... In addition, an ion exchanger is often ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a cation-anion exchanger?
The advantage of a cation-anion exchanger is that it provides a very good quality of demineralised water. In addition, relatively little waste water is released. The disadvantage is that the system cannot produce demineralised water during regeneration. Such a regeneration takes several hours, depending on the resin volume.
What is the advantage of a closed loop ion exchanger?
The major advantage of this closed-loop solution is that considerable amounts of water can be saved.
What is the last step in a 3rd fase?
In the third fase a slow rinse is performed and the last step is a fast rinse. Afterwards the line can return to its treatment purpose. The follow-up of the ion exchange is usually based on the measured conductivity of the treated water. After regenerating this will be very low.
What is WBA resin used for?
What they’re used for. WBA resins are used for partial demineralization. In larger plants, WBA resin beds may be paired with SBA units for complete demineralization applications, and WBA resins are also effective as total organic carbon (TOC) barriers ahead of SBA beds. WBA is also used for acid adsorption applications involving the removal ...
What type of ions do cationic resins exchange?
Broadly speaking, resins are named for the type of ions they exchange, meaning that cationic resins exchange positively charged ions , while anionic resins exchange negatively charged ions and include: Strong acid cation resins.
What is an ix resin?
IX resins are materials that facilitate IX reactions. They are composed of polymer matrices to which ionic “functional groups” of either positively-charged ions (cations) or negatively-charged ions (anions) are permanently bound. Some specialty resins have both types of functionality. These functional groups have a net negative or positive charge ...
What is a weak base anion?
Weak base anion (WBA) exchange resins are the only major type of IX resins that do not have exchangeable ions. These resins adsorb free mineral acidity (Cl and SO 4 ). WBA resins have amine functional groups, and are typically regenerated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), ammonia (NH 3 ), or sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ).
What is a specialty resin?
What they are. As their name implies, specialty resins are used for a variety of specific applications. Chelating resins are the most common type of specialty resin, and are used for selective removal of certain metals, brine softening and other substances.
Can SAC resin be damaged?
Certain varieties of SAC resins have also been developed for applications demanding removal of barium and radium from drinking water or other streams. SAC resins can be damaged by oxidants and fouled by iron or manganese, so care must be taken to avoid exposure of the resin to these materials.

How Cation and Anion Exchange Resins Are Similar
How Cation and Anion Exchange Resins Are Different
- The main difference between cation and anion resins is that one is positively charged (cation) and the other is negatively charged (anion). This makes them useful in removing different types of contaminants (which will also vary depending on their size and chemical composition). Cation and anion resin beads can be used together (mixed bed configura...
How Samco Can Help
- SAMCO has over 40 years’ experience custom-designing and manufacturing ion exchange systemsand providing ion exchange resins for a range of industries and solutions, so please feel free to reach out to us with your questions. Some of our most innovative solutions come in the form of the various resin technologies we offer. Our resins cab be extremely effective in the rem…