(123c) Redesign of Commercial Process Ion Exchange Purification to Eliminate Hazardous Byproduct Formation

Details of a successful commercial process separation system redesign are presented, wherein a weak acid ion exchange system is substituted for strong acid resin to avoid hazardous byproduct formation as a trace chemistry reaction. The modified process was implemented commercially to enhance sustainability via environmental footprint reduction, despite somewhat reduced purification capability. The decision matrix for considering tradeoffs between environmental footprint vs. process performance is presented.