Properties of the polyacrylic acid resin duolite es 346 containing amidoxime anchor groups with respect to the separation of uranium from sea water

Abstract

AbstractLoading curves, rate of exchange and distribution coefficients of Duolite ES 346 are determined for UO22+, Cu2+ and Fe3+, using simulated sea water. The crude resin gives off ammonia into solution which leads to precipitation of uranyl ions and high apparent distribution coefficients. With the purified resin the following distribution coefficients are measured at pH 8.1: Kd(UO22+) ≈ Kd(Cu2+) ≈ Kd(Fe3+) ≈ 0.6 · 104 ml/g. This leads to a loading of the resin in sea water of pH 8.1 with uranium only to about 20 μg per g of resin.