Evaluation of the Scandium Affinity under the Iron Coexistence Using Radiation Grafted Adsorbents

Fibrous phosphoric acid adsorbents for scandium were synthesized using two methods; by radiationinduced graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with subsequent chemical modification (GMA-gP), and by direct radiation grafting with phosphoric monomer having both vinyl and phosphoric groups (HMP-g) onto a polypropylene coated by polyethylene nonwoven fabric. The resulting grafted fibrous adsorbent, HMP-g, having the grafted long side chain, has high affinity for scandium (Sc(III)) adsorption even under the coexistence with Fe(III) ion. The breakthrough capacity for 0.5 ppm Sc(III) solution with Fe(III) interference was 10.9 μmol-Sc(III)/g-adsorbent for GMA-gP, and 17.8 μmolSc(III)/g-adsorbent for HMP-g, respectively.