Removal of boron from wastewater of geothermal power plant by selective ion-exchange resins. I. Batch sorption-elution studies

Boron removal was studied using N-glucamine-type resins Diaion CRB 02 and Purolite S 108. The resin Diaion CRB 02 exhibited a higher sorption capacity for boron removal from 0.01 M H3BO3 solution than did Purolite S 108. The presence of calcium, sodium, and chloride ions did not make a large interference on boron removal by both Diaion CRB 02 and Purolite S 108 resins, The sorption behavior of these two chelating resins obeyed the Langmuir isotherm model. Kinetic tests were performed to find the mass transfer mechanism of the sorption process of boron by Diaion CRB 02 resin. Five kinetic models were applied to fit the kinetic data obtained by using glucamine type-resin Diaion CRB 02. The results showed that the rate-determining step is particle diffusion for boron removal by Diaion CRB 02. The quantitative stripping of boron from both chelating resins was obtained with either 0.05 M H2SO4 or 0.1 M HCl solutions. Boron in wastewater of the Kizildere geothermal field was effectively removed by both Diaion CRB 02 and Purolite S 108 resins. Preliminary column tests showed that Diaion CRB 02 is a potential resin for column removal of boron from wastewater of a geothermal power plant.