Some applications of the diffusion dialysis are explained below.
*Strong aqueous caustic soda solutions can be purified of hemicellulose by diffusion dialysis. This is specific to the largely-obsolete viscose process. The first step in that process is to treat almost-pure cellulose (cotton linters or dissolving pulp) with strong (17-20% w/w) solutions of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) in water. One effect of that step is to dissolve the hemicelluloses (low-MW polymers). In some circumstances, it is desirable to remove as much hemicellulose as possible out of the process, and that can be done using dialysis.
* Acids can be recovered from aqueous solutions using anion-exchange membranes. That process is an alternative treatment of industrial wastewater. It is used for the recovery of mixed acid (HF+ HNO), the recovery and concentration of Zn and Cu, in HSO+ CuSO and HSO+ ZnSO and the recovery of HSO from waste sulphuric acid solutions containing Fe and Ni ions, which are produced at the diamond manufacturing process.
* Alkali waste can be recovered using diffusion dialysis because of its low energy cost. The NaOH base can be recovered from the aluminium etching solution applying a technique develop by Astom Corporation of Japan.
* De-alcoholisation of beer is another application of the diffusion dialysis. Taking into account that a concentration gradient is applied for this technique, the alcohol and other small molecule compounds transfer across the membrane from higher concentrations to lower, which is water. It is used for this application for the low operation conditions and the possibility to remove alcohol to 0.5%.