Ion-Exchange selectivity coefficients in the exchange of calcium, strontium, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and cadmium ions with hydrogen ion in variously cross-linked polystyrene sulfonate cation exchangers at 25°C

The ion-exchange selectivity parameters for the exchange of trace calcium, strontium, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and cadmium ions with hydrogen ion in cross-linked polystyrene-sulfonic acid cation exchangers have been determined from equilibrium ionic distribution measurements at 25°C in dilute solutions of perchloric acid and polystyrene-sulfonic acid. The selectivity behavior in perchloric acid solutions shows that the divalent ion is always preferred by the resin phase. The selectivity coefficients are a smooth function of resin phase concentration, increasing with concentration for Sr2+ more than for Ca2+ and Cd2+ and being practically independent of resin phase concentration for Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. The selectivity coefficients measured in salt-free solutions of polystyrene-sulfonic acid show a marked dependence on the polyelectrolyte concentration, the divalent ion being preferred by the aqueous phase. This preference diminishes with the concentration of polyelectrolyte. These results are interpreted by resort to the Gibbs-Duhem equation. This thermodynamic analysis has been facilitated by the availability of osmotic coefficient data for the pure polyelectrolyte ion forms over a large concentration range. Ion-exchange selectivity predictions by using this approach accurately reflect the observed ion-exchange selectivity behavior.