Selective preconcentration of thorium in the presence Of UO22+, Ce3+ and La3+ using Th(IV)-imprinted polymer

Abstract

We have prepared Th(IV) ion-imprinted polymers, which can be used for the selective preconcentration of Th(W) ions, represented by uranium and lanthanides. N-methaeryloyl-(L)-glutamic acid (MAGA) was chosen as the complexing monomer. In the first step, Th(IV) was complexed with MAGA and the Th(IV)-imprinted poly[ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(L)-glutamic acid] (Poly(MAGAEDMA)) beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization. After that, the template Th(IV) ions were removed using 8.0 M HNO3 solution. The breakthrough capacity was 40.44 mg Th(IV)/g beads. The relative selectivity coefficients of imprinted beads were 68, 97 and 116 for UO22+, La3+ and Ce3+, times greater than non-imprinted matrix, respectively. The Th(IV) -imprinted beads could be used many times without decreasing their breakthrough capacities significantly