Abstract
We examined the properties of bundle-shaped fiber adsorbent containing amidoxime groups (AO-bundle) with respect to its uranium desorption and repetitive adsorption-desorption of uranium. Uranium on AO-bundles was readily eluted by means of a column method with 1M HCl, the extent of elution reaching 75% with 4 bed volumes of the eluate at a space velocity of 1h-1. The uranium adsorptivity of the AO-bundles decreased with an increase in the treatment time of 1M HCl, due to hydrolysis of weak-basic groups. In repetitive uranium adsorption (for 14 days by means of column method)-desorption (for 5 hours by means of batch method), the uranium adsorptivity of AO-bundles gradually decreased with the repetition number; and the adsorptivity after 5 repetitions was 70% that of the original AO-bundles. The AO-bundle showed high physical stability over repetitive usage. Therefore, longer adsorption and shorter elution with acid is very effective for repetitive uranium adsorption-desorption of the AO-bundle.
