A new sorbent for uranium extraction. Polyethyleniminephenylphosphonamidic acid

A new sorbent, polyethyleniminemethylenephosphonamidic acid (PEIPPA), was synthesized from commercially available polyethylenimine and P,P-dichlorophenylphosphine oxide. After characterization by (1H, 13C, 31P) NMR and FTIR, the new ion-exchange polymer has been investigated in liquid-solid extraction of uranium. The extraction strongly depends on the pH, initial concentration of uranium, extractant to analyte ratio (mol/mol), ionic strength of the liquid medium and their mutual interactions. Such interactions were investigated through factorial 33 experimental designs in order to achieve the best conditions of batch sorption procedure, obtaining the mutual interaction among variables and optimizing these variables. The recovery of U(VI) is almost quantitative. (author)