Selective Separation of Uranium(VI) on a Chelating Styrene-DVB Based Resin Containing Quinaldinic Acid Amide Group

Abstract

A new chelating styrene-DVB based resin containing quinaldinic acid amide functional group, has been synthesized and characterised. The sorption patterns of Na(I), K(I), Be(II), Ca(II), Mg(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Ni(II), Bi(III), Fe(III), Ti(IV) and U(VI) have been studied as a function of <em>p</em>H. The resin sorbs U(VI) over a wide range of <em>p</em>H (1.0 to 4.0) with a maximum sorption of 0.32 mmol/g at <em>p</em>H 3.5 to 4.0. Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Fe(III) and Ti(IV) are also sorbed to different extents by the resin while Na(I), K(I), Be(II), Ca(II), Mg(II) and Bi(III) are not sorbed. Conditions for separation of U(VI) from these metal ions have been identified. The eluting agent used for U(VI) is 3 <em>N</em>HNO₃ and the recovery recorded is about 99.9%.