Synthesis and Application of a New Polymer with Imprinted Ions for the Preconcentration of Uranium in Natural Water Samples and Determination by Digital Imaging

Abstract

This work proposes the synthesis of a new polymer with imprinted ions (IIP) for the pre-concentration of uranium in natural waters using digital imaging as a detection technique. The polymer was synthesized using 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (Br-PADAP) for complex formation, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinking reagent, methacrylic acid (AMA) as functional monomer, and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as a radical initiator. The IIP was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (FTIR). Uranium determination was performed using digital imaging (ID), and some experimental conditions (sample pH, eluent concentration, and sampling flow rate) were optimized using a two-level full factorial design and Doelhert response surface methodology. Thus, using the optimized conditions, the system allowed the determination of uranium with detection and quantification limits of 2.55 and 8.51 µg L−1, respectively, and a pre-concentration factor of 8.2. All parameters were determined using a 25 mL sample volume. The precision expressed as relative deviation (RSD%) was 3.5% for a solution with a concentration of 50 µg L−1. Given this, the proposed method was used for the determination of uranium in four samples of natural waters collected in the city of Caetité, Bahia, Brazil. The concentrations obtained ranged from 35 to 75.4 μg L−1. The accuracy was evaluated by the addition/recovery test, and the values found ranged between 91 and 109%.

Thorium Removal, Recovery and Recycling: A Membrane Challenge for Urban Mining

“…Table 3 presents results that can form the basis of the development of urban thorium mining and that are focused on the concentration, pre-concentration, separation, extraction, ion exchange, sorption and bio-sorption of thorium or thorium–uranium from various samples and aqueous solutions [ 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 , 158 , 159 , 160 , 161 , 162 , 163 , 164 , 165 , 166 , 167 , 168 , 169 , 170 ].…”

“…Modification of clinoptilolite as a robust adsorbent Highly efficient thorium removal material [141] Preconcentration of uranium in natural water samples New polymer with imprinted ions Determination by digital imaging [142] Adsorption of trace thorium (IV) from aqueous solution…”