Removal of nitrate from water supplies using a tributyl amine strong base anion exchange resin

摘要

The invention relates to a method for separating nitrate from waters containing a significant amount of sulfate ion. Nitrate removal is accomplished by passing the water to be treated through a bed of a strong-base anion exchange resin which is a tributyl amine derivative of a copolymer exemplified by styrene-divinyl benzene. The tributyl species has been found to have an unusually high selectivity for nitrate over sulfate and provides not only a high capacity for nitrate removal but also economies in regeneration due to the ability to operate with only a partially regenerated resin bed.