| Ion exchange materials coated on glass fiber substrates have a number of advantages over the conventional ion exchange beads. These include simplification of the overall synthesis including faster more efficient functionalization and elimination of toxic solvents. Other benefits include the ability to be fabricated in the form of felts, papers, or fabrics, improving media contact efficiency and enhancing both the rates of reaction and regeneration. In addition, physical and mechanical requirements of strength and dimensional stability are achieved by use of glass fiber substrates. Investigations were focused on design of: (1) polymeric cationic exchange fibers and their application for lead and mercury removal, (2) polymeric anionic exchange fibers and their application for arsenate removal, (3) enhancement of anionic fiber selectivity for monovalent ions over divalent ions through bulkier triaklylamine functional groups, and (4) polymeric mercaptyl fibers for the application of arsenite removal.; The design and characterization of a cationic exchange fiber is described. Dynamic mode (breakthrough) experiments for calcium, lead, and mercury ion solutions are also presented. The second system consists of the preparation and characterization of anionic exchange fibers with equilibrium adsorption isotherms and dynamic mode kinetic experiments for arsenate removal. Modification of the resin with bulkier functional groups (trimethylamine, triethylamine, tripropylamine, tributylanmine), thereby effecting a change in the selectivity from divalent species to monovalent species, is considered in the separation of nitrates from sulfates.; The ability of a thiol group to bind to the highly toxic arsenite ion (as is done in proteins and enzymes) provided the model used to chemically modify and characterize a polyvinyl alcohol mercaptyl fibrous system, coated on a fiberglass substrate, for the purpose of arsenite (As3+) removal from water. Physical/chemical aspects of naturally occurring thiols and disulfides was used to draw parallels to observations found with the polyvinyl alcohol mercaptyl system and its reactivity towards arsenite. The ability of these systems to chelate arsenite was presented through equilibrium adsorption isotherms. All fibrous systems were characterized through a variety of techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, analytical analysis, and thermal analysis of the copolymer. |
