Abstract
Macroreticular resins (RCSP) containing phosphino and phosphono groups were synthesized from nine types of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer beads with various physical pore structure, and the adsorption of uranium on the resins was investigated. The adsorption capacity of uranyl ion on the RCSP was in proportion to the amount of functional groups, but the adsorption ability for uranium in natural seawater was greatly influenced by not only physical pore structure but also pore structure based on the swelling. Natural seawater was passed through the column packed with the RCSP (C and G), which have the highest adsorption ability for uranium of the RCSP prepared in this study, for 40 days at a space velocity (SV) of 180h-1. Calcium and magnesium absorbed on the RCSP attained equilibrium in 5 days, while uranium adsorbed increased with the passage of time. This result indicates that the RCSP have high affinity for uranium in seawater.
