Sorption of humic substances on a weakly basic anion-exchange resin: Relationship with the adsorbate structure

Adsorption of a broad range of humic substances (HS) of different origins and fractional compositions on a macroporous weakly basic anion-exchange resin is studied. It is found that the nature of the HS has a substantial effect on both the efficiency of sorption and the mechanism of interaction with the adsorbent. The dependence of the determined thermodynamic parameters of sorption on the HS origin, composition, and structure is shown for a broad range of HS. It is concluded that the results can be used to predict the sorption properties of weakly basic anion-exchange resins with respect to HS of known origin and structural group composition.