POLAROGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF URANYL ION ADSORPTION ON POLY-(2-HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE/ITACONIC ACID) HYDROGELS

Copolymeric hydrogel adsorbents containing hydrophilic groups both providing swelling in water and chelating with uranyl ions were prepared by using γ-rays and their adsorptive ability for recovering uranium from aqueous media was investigated. Uranyl adsorption capacities of the hydrogels were determined by polarographic techniques to be 4.9–6.0 (mg UO2 +2/g dry gel) at pH 3.87 and 4.2–5.6 (mg UO2 +2/g dry gel) at pH 5.4 from 15 ppm uranyl nitrate solution, depending on the mole content of IA in the hydrogel. The adsorption studies show that the temperature and the ionic strength of the solution influence uranyl ion adsorption by P(HEMA/IA) hydrogels.