CHEMISTRY I PROJECT (CHE0315)

SEMESTER 1 2014/2015

_________________
TITLE: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ION EXCHANGE WATER
FILTERS TO OVERCOME WATER HARDNESS
NAME
MAWADDAH BT MOHD SALEH
NUR AISYAH ALIA BT ROHIMI
NUR AISYIKIN BT ASH ARI
DIYANA BT AZMI

MATRIC NO.
141510
143145
143148
140949

SECTION NO
: GROUP 1
INSTRUCTORS NAME : MADAM RAHIMAH BT ABDULLAH

COURSE
BIO SC
BIO SC
BIO SC
ALLHS

TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENTS

PAGE
3-5

PROJECT PLANNING
OBJECTIVES
TIMELINE
DIVISION OF WORK
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

CONTENT
1. CHEMICAL COMPONENTS OF ION
EXCHANGE WATER FILTERS AND ITS
EFFECTIVENESS TO OVERCOME THE
HARDNESS OF WATER
2. ION EXCHANGE SYSTEM IN WATER FILTER
AND WATER SOFTENER AND OTHER
SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME HARDNESS OF
WATER
3. THE APPLICATION OF ION EXCHANGE
SYSTEM
4. THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER FILTER

8-9

10-11

12
13-14

CONCLUSION

15

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES

16

BIBLIOGRAPHY

17

APPENDICES

18

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

To explore the chemical components of ion exchange water filters.

To investigate the effectiveness of ion exchange in water filters to overcome water
hardness.
To study the applications of ion exchange system.
To explain the importance of water filters for consumers.

TIMELINE
DATE
Week 1

Week 2

Week 3
Week 4

TASK
Title is given
Discussion about division of work, timeline,
and objectives of project
Gathering information on the content of the
project
Drafting division of work, timeline, and
objectives of project
Submission of first draft
Discussion about the content and introduction
Doing research about the content
Drafting the content and the introduction

VENUE
Block E

Central Spine
Building
Library

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Submission of second draft

Correcting the first draft
Correcting the second draft
Discussion about the conclusion, abstract,
bibliography
Drafting
the
conclusion,
abstract,
bibliography, and appendices
Submission of third draft

Week 12

Refining the first and the second drafts

Correcting the third draft
Completing the project
Submission of the completed project.

Week 13

Oral interview

Week 5
Week 6

Week 10
Week 11

Library

Block E
Library

Library
Library
Central Spine
Building
Library
Library
Central Spine
Building
Block E

DIVISION OF WORK
Introduction
Bibliography

Content 1: Chemical components of ion

Nur Aisyikin Binti Ashari

exchange

water

filters

and

its

effectiveness to overcome the hardness

of water.
Objective
Abstract

Nur Aisyah Alia Binti Rohimi

Content 4: The importance of water

Mawaddah Binti Mohd Saleh

filters
Timeline

Conclusion

Content 2 : Ion exchange system in

water filter and water softener and
other

Diyana Binti Azmi

solutions

overcome

hardness of water
Division of work

Islamic perspective

Content 3 : The application of ion

exchange system

to

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to identify the effectiveness of ion exchange in water filters and the
ways to overcome water hardness. As we know, hard water is water that contains cations with a
charge of 2+, especially Ca2+ and Mg2+. These ions do not pose any health threat, but they can
engage in reactions that leave insoluble mineral deposits. These deposits can make hard water
unsuitable for many uses, and so a variety of means have been developed to "soften" hard
water; i.e., remove the calcium and magnesium ions. Softening process, which is one of the
various ways to overcome water hardness is used primarily as a pre-treatment method to reduce
water hardness prior to reverse osmosis (RO) processing. Ion exchange chemical components
that replace calcium and magnesium ions from water are known as water softeners. The softeners
are effective in overcoming the hardness of water because they contain beads of resins that
exchange two sodium ions for every calcium or magnesium ion removed from the "softened"
water. Ion exchangers are resins that are polymers with cross-linking (connections between long
carbon chains in a polymer). The resin has active groups in the form of electrically charged sites.
At these sites, ions of opposite charge are attracted but may be replaced by other ions depending
on their relative concentrations and affinities for the sites. Thus, two key factors determine the
effectiveness of a given ion exchange resin: favorability of any given ion, and the number of
active sites available for this exchange.

INTRODUCTION

Hard Water
Hard water is usually defined as water which contains a high concentration of calcium
and magnesium ions. Measurements of hardness are given in terms of the mg/L or mmol/L, or in
calcium carbonate equivalent, which is an expression of the concentration of hardness ions in
water in terms of their equivalent value of calcium carbonate. Water is considered to be hard if it
has a hardness of 100 mg/L or more as calcium carbonate.
Softening is the removal of hardness from water. This is not a required part of the water
treatment process since hard water does not have any health consequences. However, hard water
is problematic for a variety of reasons. Hard water makes soap precipitate out of water and form
a scum, such as the ring which forms around bathtubs. In addition to being unsightly, the reaction
of hard water with soap results in excessive use of soaps and detergents. Hard water may also
cause taste problems in drinking water and may shorten the life of fabrics washed in hard water.
Finally, hard water harms many industrial processes, so industries often require much softer
water than is usually required by the general public.
Excessively hard water will nearly always have to be softened in order to protect the
water treatment plant equipment and piping systems. At a hardness of greater then 500mgL as
calcium carbonate, scale will form on pipes as calcium carbonate precipitate are out of the water.
The scaling can damage equipment and should be avoided.

Hardness Problems
In addition to having different removal methods, carbonate and non-carbonate hardness
can cause different problems. Carbonate hardness is the most common and is responsible for the
deposition of calcium carbonate scale in pipes and equipment. The equation below shows how
this deposition is formed in the presence of heat:
Calcium bicarbonate Calcium carbonate + Water + Carbon dioxide
Ca(HCO3)2 CaCO3 + H2O + CO2
In addition to the scale (calcium carbonate) produced, carbon dioxide resulting from this reaction
can combine with water to give carbonic acid which causes corrosion of iron or steel equipment.
In contrast, non-carbonate hardness is the culprit in forming soap scum. Non-carbonate hardness
reacts with the carbonate alkalinity found in soap and detergents in this reaction:
Calcium sulfate + Sodium carbonate Calcium carbonate + Sodium sulfate
CaSO4 + Na2CO3 CaCO3 + Na2SO4
7

CONTENT 1 : CHEMICAL COMPONENTS OF ION EXCHANGE WATER FILTERS

AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS TO OVERCOME THE HARDNESS OF WATER.
The ion exchange process percolates water through bead-like spherical resin materials
(ion-exchange resins). Ions in the water are exchanged for other ions fixed to the beads. The two
most common ion-exchange methods are softening and deionization. However, in this project,
the only method that will be discussed to overcome the hardness of water is through softening
process.
Softening is used primarily as a pre-treatment method to reduce water hardness prior
to reverse osmosis (RO) processing. Ion exchange chemical components that replace calcium
and magnesium ions from water are known as water softeners. The softeners are effective in
overcoming the hardness of water because they contain beads of resins that exchange two
sodium ions for every calcium or magnesium ion removed from the "softened" water.
Ion exchangers are resins that are polymers with cross-linking (connections between long
carbon chains in a polymer ). The resin has active groups in the form of electrically charged sites.
At these sites, ions of opposite charge are attracted but may be replaced by other ions depending
on their relative concentrations and affinities for the sites. Two key factors determine the
effectiveness of a given ion exchange resin: favorability of any given ion, and the number of
active sites available for this exchange. To maximize the active sites, significant surface areas are
generally desirable. The active sites are one of a few types of functional groups that can
exchange ions with either plus or minus charge. Frequently, the resins are cast in the form of
porous beads.

Figure 1: Softening
process
8

Calcium and magnesium ions are atoms having a positive electrical charge, as do sodium
and potassium ions. Ions of the same charge can be exchanged. In the ion exchange process
which is shown in figure 1, a granular substance (usually a resin) that is coated with sodium or
potassium ions comes into contact with water containing calcium and magnesium ions. Two
positively charged sodium or potassium ions are exchanged (released into the water) for every
calcium or magnesium ion that is held by the resin. This exchange or trade happens because
sodium or potassium are loosely held by the resin. In this way, calcium and magnesium ions
responsible for hardness are removed from the water, held by the resin, and replaced by sodium
or potassium ions in the water. This process makes water soft. Eventually, a point is reached
when very few sodium or potassium ions remain on the resin, thus no more calcium or
magnesium ions can be removed from the incoming water. The resin at this point is said to be
exhausted or spent, and must be recharged or regenerated.

CONTENT 2 : ION EXCHANGE SYSTEM IN WATER FILTER AND WATER

SOFTENER AND OTHER SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME HARDNESS OF WATER
Comparison between water filter and water softener:
Aspect
General
function

Type of
technology
used

Water Softener
Water softeners, by
contrast, remove calcium
and magnesium ions from
water.
A typical water softener
has a mineral tank filled
with small resin beads;
negatively charged sites on
these beads attract and trap
positively charged ions.
Initially, these negatively
charged sites are occupied
by sodium or potassium
ions, but the
sodium/potassium ions are
only weakly bound, so they
are displaced by
magnesium and calcium
ions in the drinking water
as it flows through. Once
the sites on the beads are
all occupied by calcium or
magnesium ions, the
mineral tank must be
regenerated by flushing it
with brine; the high excess
of sodium ions in the brine
water will displace the
calcium and magnesium
ions so they can be washed
away.

10

Water Filter
Water filters remove
contaminants from water to
help make it safer for
drinking.
Activated carbon filters, for
example, contain positively
charged absorbent carbon in
the filter, which acts to trap
various contaminants like bad
tastes and odors.
Distillation units boil the water
and then recondense it to
eliminate heavy metal
contaminants.
Reverse osmosis units
eliminate most kinds of
contaminants using semipermeable membranes that
permit only water to pass
through
UV disinfection systems kill
microorganisms in the water.

A water softener is essentially a type of filter, since it removes calcium and magnesium
ions from the water. It does not and will not, however, remove other contaminants like
microorganisms. Filters like activated carbon systems, by contrast, do not remove calcium and
magnesium ions and thus cannot soften the water. Some filtration options like reverse osmosis
can reduce hardness, although an ion exchange water softener is designed specifically to treat
excessively hard water.

All in all, both water filters and softeners remove dissolved substances from the water,
but softeners specifically remove hard water ions to make the water "softer."
There are also several other ways to treat hard water other than using ion exchange resins, such
as:
1. Lime Softening
o In this process, lime is added to the water, thereby binding to the calcium and
magnesium ions and keeping them from aggregating in the pipes. This process
can produce large volumes of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide
sludge. This sludge can then be processed as a filler for cement and concrete
construction.
2. Chelating Agents
o Chelating agents like citric acid are introduced into the water stream to bind with
and break up deposits of calcium and magnesium. These larger molecules then
lack the ability to aggregate and pass out of the water system naturally.
3. Nanofiltration
o This method is usually done at the water plant in order to reduce the hardness of
water prior to piping. This method filters calcium and magnesium out of the water
using a semi-permeable membrane. It produces more aggregate waste in exchange
for exposing the water supply to fewer chemicals.

11

CONTENT 3 : THE APPLICATION OF ION EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

An application of ion exchange system that can hit close to home is in the treatment of
water for drinking, use in commercial, industrial, residential and wastewater treatment. Ion
exchangers can soften the water, deionize it, and even be used in desalination. In industrial uses,
pure water is often crucial for the successful development of a product. The food industry uses
ion exchange in a variety of ways, ranging from wine-making to sugar manufacture. Plus,
industrial drying of treatment of gases is also accomplished often with ion exchange. Besides,
preparation of various acids, bases, salts, and solutions is also aided by ion exchange.
Analytical chemistry uses ion exchange in chromatography. Ion exchange
chromatography is commonly used to separate charged biological molecules such as proteins,
peptides, amino acids, or nucleotides. The amino acids that make up proteins are zwitterionic
compounds that contain both positively and negatively charged chemical groups.
The recovery of valuable metals is also possible with resins through ion exchange system.
Resins are used in two different processes which are removal of anthraquinone derivatives.
These organic compounds can be removed on a non-ionic adsorbent. Regeneration is done with
methanol. The second process is the removal of metal traces such as iron, with a strongly acidic
resin. The treatment is done at a very high specific flow rate.
In the medical world, dozens of important manifestations of the benefits of ion exchange
can be found, from development and preparation of key drugs and antibiotics, such as
streptomycin and quinine, to treatments for ulcers, TB, kidneys, and much more. Ion exchange is
used to prevent coagulation in blood stores and in dextrose, as well. An ion exchange is also
useful in death, as it plays a role in the treatment of formaldehyde.

12

CONTENT 4 : THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER FILTER.

Water filters had been widely used in many houses nowadays. One of the main factor for
its usage is to purify the water supply-which is not as pure and clean as some of us thought
before. Yeah, most tap water and well water contain moderate to heavy levels of contamination
from industrial and environmental pollution. As such water from groundwater (private wells or
public water supplies), can be contaminated by disease-producing pathogens, leachate from
landfills and septic systems, hazardous household products and agricultural chemicals. Although
the majorities of contaminant levels are not high enough to cause immediate sickness however
they are more likely to cause chronic health effects. This means effects that occur long after
repeated exposure to small amounts of a contaminant.

13

Microbial pathogens (includes bacteria, viruses, parasites)

Chlorine, Chloramine a

Organics
(pesticides
Inorganics (toxic metals like arsenic, barium, chromium,
lead,
mercury

Due to awareness among the society regarding this matter, water filters have been created
to solve a wide range of problems affecting our water quality, taste, or appearance of the water.
Whole water filtration systems remove contaminants from our water through a filter connected to
our water line. Generally, those on city water are recommended to use a whole house carbon
filtration system for general multi-purpose whole house purification. Mainly there are 2 types of
whole house systems, those are
Heavy duty filtration system
Standard capacity water cartridge

14

Basically, water filters function to:

o Clean, filter water emerges from every water source in the house.
o Make water taste better.
o Extend life of water using appliances and household pipes.
o Soften water with scale free showers and spotless glasses.
o Ensure softer, brighter and longer lasting clothing.
o Keep our laundry smelling as fresh as it can.
o Support healthier skin and hair- free from contaminants.
o Encourage us to hydrate our bodies on a regular basis; and drink with confidence.
o Minimize the amount of waste hence create and enjoy healthy beverages throughout the
day.
o Filtered water can get our dishes cleaner and healthier.

While water from a municipal source is treated, it is still exposing us to a handful of

contaminants. A whole house system provides us with extra protection in every outlet of our
homes. Contaminants can be absorbed through the skin and inhaled from our lungs, so it is
extremely important to be protected throughout the entire home. If we have no special water
contaminant issues then a whole house carbon filtration system is recommended for general
multi-purpose whole house purification. However if we have special water concerns then we
shall need a whole house system dedicated to treat that particular problem. Lets enjoy the health
benefits of a whole house water filter ant the peace of mind that comes with clean water.

15

CONCLUSION

All in all, based on our research on the effectiveness of ion exchange water filter to overcome
hardness of water, it can be concluded that, it is a more effective method to use the ion exchange
system to soften hard water than any other methods such as, lime softening, chelating agents,
and nanofiltration. Ion exchange water systems are different from ionizing devices. They take
ions from a brine solution made of salt and water and exchange them with mineral ions in hard
water using electrolysis. As long as the brine is replaced, these exchangers can effectively soften
water and keep it from damaging pipes or clothes. Ion exchange systems are also widely used for
water treatment in both industrial and municipal water treatment systems as the process provides
many advantages over other treatment methods. It is environment friendly and can provide high
flow rate of treated water. There are certain disadvantages associated with ion exchange, such as
organic contamination from the resin, and bacterial contamination but organic contamination can
be overcome as organic contaminants can be removed prior to treatment with resin by treating
the feed water with alum to precipitate the organic matter and as for the bacterial contamination,
ion exchange resins beds can be treated with disinfectants such as formaldehyde but, not with
heat or chlorine, as they will damage the resin. All in all, it is still effective to use for preventing
buildup, reducing negative effects of using soap with hard water, and most importantly, as related
to the title of this project, is the most effective to overcome
water hardness.

16

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES

In conclusion, ion exchange of water filters basically related to cleanliness in Islam.

Islam greatly approves cleanliness as through the process of water filtering, clean water is
produced. For instance, clean water is essential when a man is taking his ablution (wudhu).
For this statement, according to the Quran:
Allah loves those that turn to Him in repentance and purify themselves.
(2:222).
To add from the verses of Quran above, according to a hadith:
Purity is half of faith.
Similarly the Prophet of Islam once observed:
God is clean and loves cleanliness.
(Ibn Majah)

17

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ion Exchange Water Softening: http://web.sahra.arizona.edu/programs/akyw/ion.html

Theory of Ion Exchange:

http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/IONEX/theory.html

Application of Ion Exchange:

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/13128/9/09_chapter%201.pdf

Cleanliness in Islam:http://www.alquranmission.org/IslamDesc.aspx?id=43

Method of Ion Exchange Water Filters: http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/watereducation/quality-water-filtration-method.htm

Difference
Between
Water
Softener
and
Water
http://www.ehow.com/info_8031014_difference-water-softener-water-filter.html

Filter:

The Best Hard Water Solutions: http://www.ehow.com/info_8075480_hard-watersolutions.html

Disadvantages of Ion Exchange: http://www.ehow.com/info_8092882_disadvantages-ionexchange.html

Ion Water Treatment: http://www.ehow.com/about_6670941_ion-water-treatment.html

Benefits of a Water Softener: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5832606_benefits-watersoftener_.html

18

APPENDIX

Calcium carbonate scale on a piece

of pipe.
Hard water causes bathtub rings.

19

Example of water filter

20