Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation

2.3.3. Types of Ion exchangers

There are two types of ion exchanger, namely cation and anion exchangers.

1. Cation exchangers: They have negatively charged groups and will attract positively charged cations. These exchangers are also called acidic ion exchangers because they attain negative charge due to the ionization of acidic groups.
2. Anion exchangers: They have positively charged groups and will attract negatively charged anions. They are termed as basic ion exchangers, because they attain positive charges due to the the association of protons with basic groups.