Ligand-grafted biomaterials for adsorptive separations of uranium in solution

Many organic molecules, particularly biologicals, contain functional groups (ligands) that actively interact with metal ions in solution by adsorption, ion exchange, or chelation/coordination/complexation. Water-soluble organics have limitations as reagents for metal-ion separations from aqueous solutions. However, if the ligand molecule(s) are grafted on to an insoluble matrix, the resulting ligand(s)-containing product becomes useful for separations applications related to metal recovery or remediation. It was discovered that biomolecules containing a primary amino group, secondary amino group, or hydroxyl group could be grafted into a polyurethane polymeric network via in situ polymerization reactions. With carboxyl groups, grafted material showed good selectivity among a group of divalent metal cations, and a uranium-binding capacity of more than 10 mg/g of polymer. The material can be regenerated by sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate solution and reused. Data from a stirred-tank reactor showed fast uranium-binding kinetics, and breakthrough-elution studies with a packed-column reactor indicated promising process behavior.