Using an amino-phosphonic acid ligand bound to the surface of a silica polyamine composite (SPC) surface1 we have studied the selective removal of uranyl cation (UO22+) from solutions containing high sulfate (&gt;10,000 ppm) and high nitrate (&gt;1000 ppm) and smaller amounts of other ions. The solutions model the uranium mine waste streams found in wells on the Navajo reservation in the Arizona-New Mexico area. Batch capacities, column-breakthrough studies and pH profiles on these solutions will be presented. The hybrid material used BPAP1 (Figure 1) showed excellent capacities and selectivity for uranyl even in the presence the large excesses of anions that are known to form complexes with uranium. The uranyl could be recovered from the column experiments by stripping with 2M carbonate and gave good mass balances. The results are compared with commercially available polystyrene resins that are reported to selective for uranium. 1. V. Kailasam, E. Rosenberg, and D. Nielsen Ind. & Eng. Chem. Res. (2009) 48, 3991- 4001.

Selective removal of uranium from high sulfate, high nitrate streams using hybrid organic inorganic materials

251st National Meeting (2016)

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