Dow Water Solutions

DOWEX™ Resins for Trace Contaminant Removal

A Portfolio of Options for Potable Water Applications

A new portfolio of products from Dow for potable water applications offers options for removing a wide variety of trace contaminants. Experts at Dow can work with you to design a water purification system that meets your specific needs - whether you need removal of a single contaminant or a particular combination of contaminants. If your application requires removal of a contaminant that isn't listed below, please contact us. We can work with you to find a solution that meets your precise requirements.

Contaminants	Removal Options
Acids	Acids can be selectively removed from water with weak base anion exchange resins, such as DOWEX™ M-43 or DOWEX MONOSPHERE™ 77 resins.
Arsenic	ADSORBSIA™ GTO™ titanium-based media offers excellent removal of both As(III) and As(V) across a wide pH range without pretreatment.
Barium	DOWEX MARATHON™ C (Na) resin provides excellent non-selective removal of barium, while DOWEX RSC offers outstanding selective removal.
Bases	Bases can be selectively removed from water with a weak acid cation exchange resin, such as DOWEX MAC-3.
Boron	DOWEX boron selective resin provides selective removal with economical operation.
Chlorinated solvents, hydrocarbons and solvents	Air-strippable volatile solvents can be economically air-stripped from water and the stripper off-gas, then treated with DOWEX OPTIPORE™ V503 resin.
Chrome and Vanadium	Chrome, hexchrome and vanadium can be selectively removed from water with DOWEX 1 resin for highest capacity or DOWEX SAR for high capacity with low odor potential.
Fluoride	Fluoride can be selectively removed to less than 1 ppm with DOWEX fluoride selective cation resins.
Heavy Metals	Copper, zinc, nickel, lead, tin, cadmium, iron and other heavy metals can be selectively removed with DOWEX IDA-1, an iminodiacetic acid resin.
Iodine	With very high affinity for iodine, DOWEX 1 resin provides excellent selective removal of iodine from water.
Mercury	Ionic mercury can be selectively removed from water with DOWEX thiol-functionalized resin.
Methyl Mercury	Organic mercury compounds can be effectively removed with DOWEX OPTIPORE L493 adsorbent resin.
Natural Organics and Total Organic Carbons (TOC)	Humic and fulvic acids (surface water TOCs) can be removed from water with DOWEX TAN-1  resin.
Nitrate / Nitrite	DOWEX 1 resin provides non-selective removal of nitrate/nitrite when sulfate is low. When sulfate is greater than 30-50 ppm or three times the nitrate level, DOWEX NSR-1 (nitrate selective resin) provides excellent selective removal of nitrate/nitrite.
Non-selective Removal of Cations and Anions	DOWEX MB resin is a cost-effective, single-use mixed bed resin that provides complete demineralization of waste water.
Non-strippable Organics Such as Phenol	Phenol can be removed from water with DOWEX OPTIPORE L493 resin, and then steam-stripped to regenerate.
Perchlorate	Dow offers a full range of perchlorate resins, ranging from highest total capacity to highest perchlorate selectivity: DOWEX 1, DOWEX NSR-1, DOWEX PSR-2, and DOWEX PSR-3.
Phosphate	Phosphate can be selectively removed from wastewater with DOWEX M-4195 resin in the Cu form.
Platinum Group Metals	DOWEX thiouronium-functionalized resin provides selective removal of platinum group metals.
Radium	DOWEX RSC resin provides selective removal of radium, while DOWEX MARATHON C (Na) resin provides non-selective removal.
Selenium	ADSORBSIA GTO media provides good removal of selenium as Se (IV). As Se (VI), lower loading is achieved with the media.
Sulfate	With a very high affinity for sulfate, DOWEX 1 provides preferential removal of sulfate from potable water.
Uranium	For groundwater remediation, no other ion exchange resin product has the proven track record of the family of DOWEX anion exchange resins.

Other Contaminants: If you didn't see the particular contaminant that you want to remove, please visit our Periodic Table Product Selection Guide to select DOWEX ion exchange resins for removal of other ions.

Selectivity and Flexibility: Two Reasons to Consider Ion Exchange Resins

Meeting safe drinking water standards for trace contaminants requires increasingly tailored solutions. Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides, inorganic and organic chemicals now require selective removal solutions to ensure compliance. Ion exchange has emerged as the leading technology for selective removal for two reasons: exceptional selectivity for trace contaminants and flexibility of operation.

Ion exchange resins act as "chemical sponges," efficiently removing greater than 99 percent of trace contaminants with an ultra-tight hold. Ion exchange resins also have a very high exchange capacity, so they can treat many thousands of volumes of water before they need to be replaced or regenerated.

Since ion exchange resins are incorporated in modular tanks, a system can be expanded incrementally to meet demand. Ion exchange systems are available as fixed installations at the treatment site or as mobile units with an exchange service. Flow variations do not affect performance in ion exchange, which operates effectively under a wide range of flow, temperature and feed water chemistry situations.

The high selectivity of ion exchange resins, combined with flexibility of operation, makes ion exchange the most cost-effective technology for trace contaminant removal for many potable water applications.

Benefits of DOWEX Ion Exchange Resins

DOWEX ion exchange resins provide the optimal balance of quality performance, reliability and efficiency. This new product portfolio from Dow offers a full arsenal of options with the following benefits.

Selectivity - Ion exchange resins provide selective removal of trace contaminants by matching contaminant with resin for a lock-and-key fit. DOWEX ion exchange resins include specialized chemistries developed for selective removal of radium, nitrate, perchlorate, chromium and many other trace contaminants.

Flexibility - Dow has a broad product line and extensive application experience, bringing you flexibility in ion exchange solutions. The experts at Dow can tailor a solution to your specific needs, achieving the most cost-effective solution for your site.

Productivity - In the early 1980s, researchers at Dow developed and patented the manufacturing of uniform particle size (UPS) ion exchange resins. The UPS technology from Dow provides faster kinetics for higher flow rates, greater operating capacity, less resin loss, increased resistance to fouling, and greater productivity in a fixed tank volume.

Efficiency - Ion exchange processes often concentrate the contaminant so effectively that the loaded resin represents the smallest possible volume of waste. In some applications, the resins can be regenerated and used repeatedly for years. Or, an off-site disposal service can be used so that the contaminant is completely removed. In either case, ion exchange resins enable effective and efficient removal of contaminants, as well as safe disposal options.

Durability - Ion exchange resins are tough, durable plastic beads that remain stable when exposed to strong acids, bases and solvents. DOWEX ion exchange resins have been engineered by polymer chemists at Dow to be the toughest beads on the market. DOWEX resins also have the highest capacities in the industry for metals and mineral salts that can accumulate during use.

Reliability - DOWEX ion exchange resins provide reliable and dependable water purification solutions, backed by more than 60 years of ion exchange manufacturing expertise. DOWEX resins are manufactured in Midland, Michigan, with statistical quality controls under a certified quality system that complies with ISO 9000 standards.

New Capabilities for Selective Removal of Trace Contaminants

To meet customers' growing needs for potable water applications, Dow has developed new options for selective removal of nitrate, perchlorate and radium.

Nitrate and Nitrite are naturally occurring chemical compounds arising from agricultural activities, sewage and plant decay. Because of widespread presence and health concerns, their presence has become a public concern. Dow has developed DOWEX NSR-1 nitrate selective resin for reliable, selective removal of nitrate and nitrite from water.

Perchlorate is a chemical commonly used in solid rocket propellants. Perchlorates are highly soluble and migrate in groundwater. Dow offers a series of ion exchange resins for perchlorate removal, including DOWEX 1, DOWEX NSR-1, DOWEX PSR-2 and DOWEX PSR-3. Each is uniquely suited for particular water chemistries, ranging from highest total capacity for perchlorate to highest selectivity for perchlorate.

Radium is a radioactive metal that occurs naturally in trace amounts in rocks, soils and groundwater. Dow has designed a unique ion exchange product, DOWEX RSC (radium selective complexer) resin, which is extremely effective in removing radium and barium from drinking water.