Abstract
This article describes resins for extraction chromatography capable of separating cobalt from europium. Radionuclides Eu-152 and Co-57 were used to represent the REEs and heavy metals. Resins were prepared by immobilizing poly(styrene) on porous silica particles and impregnating the particles with an organic extractant: Octyl(phenyl)-N,N-disiobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphineoxide (CMPO), bis(2,4,4-trimethylphentyl)dithiophosphinic acid (Cyanex-301), 2-thenoyl trifluoroacetone (HTTA), tributylphosphate (TBP) or dibenzo-21-crown-7 (DB21C7). The specific adsorption of Eu(III) and Co(II) was studied by measuring distribution coefficients and uptake percentages as a function of contact time, solution pH and metal ion concentration. The new resins, especially Cyanex 301/SiO2-P, provide rapid kinetics and high adsorption selectivity for Co(II). The efficient and selective adsorption of Eu(III) on SiO2-P impregnated with CMPO, a bifunctional organophosphorus compound and HTTA, a β-diketone compound, is attributed to strong complex formation between the soft donor atom of each chelating ligand and trivalent ion.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank the Marie Curie Actions Incoming International Fellowships (IIF) FP7-PEOPLE European Commission for acceptance of this collaborative research project between Finland and Egypt and for providing the necessary financial support in the form of a fellowship.
Notes
V/m is the (volume/mass) ratio.
V/m is the (volume/mass) ratio.