Boron Sorption on Selected NMDG Resins: Diffusion Kinetics and Equilibrium Modeling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66411/jer.v41i2.145Keywords:
Boron Elimination, Resin, Ion-Exchange, Water DesalinationAbstract
Boron removal from water remains a significant challenge in desalination and wastewater treatment due to boron's low ionization potential and high solubility. This study characterizes the sorption performance of selective N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) ion-exchange resins in a batch system. Equilibrium and kinetic sorption parameters were determined through batch experiments to characterize the dominant mass-transfer mechanisms governing uptake on three NMDG-bearing commercial resins Amberlite IRA743, Purolite S108, and Diaion CRB05 over a range of particle-size fractions. Equilibrium data fit best to the Langmuir isotherm, indicating monolayer sorption behavior. Kinetic analysis using the Shrinking Core Model and the Homogeneous Particle Diffusion Model confirmed that boron uptake is primarily governed by intraparticle diffusion rather than by external film resistance or surface chemical reactions. Although the pseudo-second-order model yielded a high statistical correlation with the batch data, it is interpreted as a macro-level empirical description rather than as mechanistic evidence of a rate-limiting reaction. A diffusion-based "Dp" model, coupling a material balance with the HPDM, was developed and validated against experimental concentration profiles for all tested resins. The model showed good agreement, providing physically meaningful estimates of the effective diffusion coefficient (Deff) and external mass transfer coefficient (K). These findings establish a rigorous mechanistic foundation for the design and scale-up of boron sorption processes
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