Preparation of Adsorptive Fibers for Removal of Strontium from Seawater

Abstract

We prepared two kinds of adsorptive fibers for the removal of strontium from seawater by means of radiation-induced graft polymerization and subsequent chemical modifications: iminodiacetate-group-containing chelating fiber and sodium-titanate-impregnated fiber. Evaluation of the removal of strontium from seawater in a batch mode demonstrated that these adsorptive fibers showed a higher adsorption rate than conventional chelating beads and sodium titanium oxide granules. From the determination of concentration factors of strontium, calcium, and magnesium in seawater, the sodium-titanate-impregnated fiber was found to exhibit a higher affinity for strontium over calcium and magnesium in seawater than the chelating fiber. At a mass ratio of seawater to sodium-titanate-impregnated fiber of 100, the concentration factors of strontium, calcium, and magnesium in seawater were 600, 190, and 18 mL/g, respectively.