The Purolite™ Resin Periodic Table

Nitrogen is a nonmetal element with an atomic number of 7. It is essential to all living things and, in the form of nitrate, is a colorless, odorless gas.

Applications
It is used in the manufacturing process of various industries, including fertilizer, nitric acid, nylon, dyes and more.

Challenges
Nitrogen-bearing compounds, like nitrate, are under scrutiny due to potential detrimental effects on human health. Consuming too much nitrate can affect how blood carries oxygen. Excessive rainfall, irrigation or fertilizer application can contribute to nitrate leaching below plant roots, which may, in turn, reach groundwater.

Solutions
Resin technology is used to remove nitrates from water applications.

Removal from Potable and Groundwater

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization have set maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for nitrate in drinking water at 45 and 50 mg/L as NO₃.

The removal of nitrates via ion exchange is a well-established process in municipal water treatment, food and drink applications and domestic potable water production. Ecolab offers a range of resins, including the special nitrate selective Purolite™ A520E, as well as several high-capacity strong base anion exchange resins, such as the Purolite A300E and Purolite A600E/9149. The optimum resin depends on several factors, including the concentration of sulfates, the presence of another contaminant and the volumetric throughput. 

The use of Purolite Resin System Modeling (PRSM)’s nitrate removal calculator can help in the resin decision-making process.

For more information, visit Potable and Groundwater Products.