LANXESS Confirms Over 99.9% PFAS Removal from Industrial Wastewater in Demonstration Test Using Selective Ion Exchange Resin

German specialty chemicals company LANXESS provides solutions for removing PFAS—including short-chain and ultra-short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—from contaminated water using its selective resin, Lewatit® MDS TP 108. In a demonstration test conducted at Chemours Netherlands B.V. in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, it was confirmed that this resin could remove over 99.9% of all organic fluorine compounds from industrial wastewater at an industrial scale.

Short-chain and ultra-short-chain PFAS (carbon chain length 2-7) have low adsorption properties to activated carbon and are difficult for many conventional ion exchange resins to bind. In 2024, LANXESS developed Lewatit MDS TP 108, which has a bead diameter approximately one-third that of conventional resins. This allows for improved ion exchange capacity, longer service life, and maintained performance under high flow conditions.

Chemours employs a three-stage purification process: reverse osmosis, activated carbon filtration, and the use of Lewatit MDS TP 108. The system uses a three-column series configuration (one primary and two polishing filters) to remove short-chain PFAS. The plant has been in steady operation since mid-2025, meeting strict regulatory requirements and reducing emissions.