Approximate selectivity scales

cation exchange resins

The sulphonic resin here is a "nominal 8% DVB" product. Resins with higher cross-linking will
have higher selectivity values, but the order remains unchanged.
CAUTION: the data are approximate, but the relative order should be right.

Monovalent Sulphonic Carboxylic

(SAC) (WAC)
AmberliteTM example IR120 IRC86
Ion
Li+ 0.85 1.0
+
H 1.00
+
Na 1.69 0.6
NH4+ 2.20
+
K 2.46 0.5
Rb+ 2.54
+
Cs 2.80 0.3
Cu+ 5.25
+
Ag 7.54
+
Tl 9.75
Divalent Sulphonic Carboxylic Iminodiacetic
AmberliteTM example IR120 IRC86 IRC748
Ion
UO2++ 0.44
Mg++ 0.63 0.3 0.8*
++
Zn 0.67 1.5 22
++
Co 0.71 1.9 17
Cu++ 0.73 2.0 550
++
Cd 0.75 1.0 28
Ni++ 0.75 1.4 55
++
Be 0.77
Mn++ 0.79 1.4 5.0
++
Ca 1.00 1.00 1.00
++
Sr 1.25 <1 0.6*
Pb++ 1.9 >1 160
 Ba++ 2.2 <1 0.5*
++
Ra 2.5
* Doubtful, but the order is Ca > Sr > Ba

For sulphonic (SAC) resins, the order of selectivity is:

Pb++ > Ca++ > Mg++ > Na+ > H+

This means that you can remove hardness (Ca & Mg) with a SAC resin in the Na form, but you
cannot remove Na selectively in presence of other cations.
Approximate selectivity scales
SBA resins

Data only typical, i.e. approximate, but relative order should be right.

The values may vary according to porosity of resin (primary and secondary cross-linking). For
instance, the chloride selectivity value varies from about 15 to more than 30 for different SBA
type 1 resins.

SBA resin Type 1 Type 2

Amberlite example IRA402 IRA410
Ion Selectivity
HSiO3– < 1.0 < 1.0
–
OH (reference) 1.0 1.0
–
F 1.6 0.3
CH3COO– 3.2 0.5
–
HCOO 4.6 0.5
IO3– 5.5 0.5
–
HCO3 6.0 1.2
Cl– 22 2.3
–
NO2 24 3
–
BrO3 27 3
HSO3– 27 3
–
CN 28 3
HSO4– 35 9
–
Br 50 6
–
NO3 65 8
ClO3– 74 12
2–
SO4 150
I– 175 17
2–
SeO4 280
ClO4– > 500
2–
CrO4 1700
C6H5SO3– > 500 75
Conventional SBA resins

For these resins, as shown above, the order of selectivity is:

 SO4= > NO3– > Cl– > HCO3– > OH– > F–

There is thus no practical way to remove only chloride from water without removing other
anions as well.

Ion Amberlite PWA5

–
Cl 1.0
NO3– 5.8
ClO4– 440
HCO3– 0.21
SO42– 0.019
Nitrate selective resin

With such a product, you can remove nitrate with the resin in the chloride form.

From an unknown source: selectivity scale of a SBA resin at pH 9 to 10:

V2O74– > UO2(CO3)34– > MoO42– > SO42– > CO32– > NO3– > Cl– > HCO3–

See also cation selectivity values.