Ion Exchange Options for Nitrate Reduction Systems (0.15 CPD)

The Q&A session for this topic is Q&A 5: Contaminant Occurrence, Nitrates, Lead, and Corrosion Topics.

The presence of nitrates and nitrites in our food and water is associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer in adults and methemoglobinemia in infants. While our dietary guidelines encourage the consumption of leafy greens and other vegetables, the majority of our nitrate intake comes from these foods (80%) and about 20% from drinking water.

Ingested nitrates support the production of nitric oxide in the body (a good thing). Nitric oxide then gets oxidized to nitrites (a not-so-good thing). In addition, nitrate can be reduced to nitrite by the bio population in the GI tract.

The primary focus of this presentation will be on the selection of ion exchange resins for the removal/reduction of nitrates/nitrites from potable water. Several research studies are cited with references along with an explanation of the performance characteristics of various anion resins utilizing salt regeneration and the author’s recommendations for optimal system design and performance.