Process for removing acids from aqueous solutions of organic solutes with ion exchange resins

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR REMOVING A STRONG ACID FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ORGANIC SOLUTE, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES PASSING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING A STRONG ACID HAVING AN IONIZATION CONSTANT OF AT LEAST 1.4X10-3 AT 25* C., AND AN AORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AN ACIDITY CORRESPONDING TO AN IONIZATION CONSTANT NOT EXCEEDING 1.75*10-5 AT 25* C., AS SOLUTE, INTO CONTACT WITH A WATER-IMMERSED BED OF AN ANION EXCHANGE RESIN IN THE SULFATE FORM AND THUS DISPLACING FROM THE BED AN EQUAL VOLUME OF WATER, WHEREBY THE STRONG ACID SOLUTE IS ABSORBED BY THE RESIN AND THUS CONVERTS AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE ANION EXCHANGE RESIN TO THE BISULFATE FORM, THEN FEEDING WATER TO THE BED TO DISPLACE A FURTHER AMOUNT OF LIQUID FROM THE BED, AND COLLECTING SUCCESSIVE FRACTIONS OF THE EFFLUENT LIQUID, WHEREBY THERE IS OBTAINED A FRACTION OF THE DISPLACED EFFLUENT LIQUID WHICH CONTAINS A MAJOR PORTION OF THE ORGANIC COMPOUND AS SOLUTE, AND THEREAFTER WASHING THE ANION EXCHANGE RESIN WITH WATER, WHEREBY THE ANION EXCHANGE RESIN IS REGENERATED TO THE SULFATE FORM.