A Chemically modified Silica-gel as an Ion Exchange Resin for Pre-concentration of Actinides and Lanthanides

Nadav Lerner, Department of Chemistry, Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Beer-Sheva, Israel (nadavlea@gmail.com)
Dan Meyerstein, Department Of Chemical Sciences, Arial University, Arial, Israel
Dror Shamir, Department Of Chemistry, Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel
Vered Marks, Department Of Chemical Sciences, Arial University, Arial, Israel
Zorik Shamish, Department Of Chemistry, Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel
Tsion Ohaion-Raz, Department Of Chemistry, Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel
Eric Maimon, Department Of Chemistry, Nuclear Research Center Negev, Beer-sheva, Israel

Ethylene-di-amine-tri-acetate was covalently bound to a Silica-gel matrix (ED3A-SG). The resin thus obtained was examined as a possible Ion Exchange Resin for the pre-concentration of actinides and lanthanides. ED3A-SG was prepared by reacting Sodium N-(tri-methoxy-silyl-propyl)-ethylene-di-amine-tri-acetate (ED3A-Silane coupler) with silica-gel. The capacity of the resin was determined by using two techniques: A. Determination of the carbon content of the resin using carbon sulfur analyzer. B. using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry to calculate the change in nickel concentration, within a solution, as a result from saturation of the resin by nickel ions.

The resin behavior as function of pH was studied using ICP-OES. Metal concentration of samples at different pH values was determined before and after interaction with the resin.

The molecular structure of the resin was examined by solid state ¹³C-NMR and solid state ²⁹Si-NMR. Pre-concentration process, using a column containing the resin, was applied to samples with different uranium and cerium concentrations and different samples volumes. Regeneration potential was demonstrated by using a column for several different water samples containing Uranium and Cerium and comparing the experimental results to the theoretical values.