Adsorptivity of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone for selective separation of U(VI) from nitric acid media

Nogami, Masanobu*; Sugiyama, Yuichi*; Kawasaki, Takeshi*; Harada, Masayuki*; Morita, Yasuji  ; Kikuchi, Toshiaki*; Ikeda, Yasuhisa*

Adsorptivity of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) to various metal ions was examined as a part of the development of resins with selectivity to U(VI) in nitric acid media. It was found that PVPP has a strong adsorptivity to U(VI) in wide concentration range of nitric acid. The mechanism of U(VI) adsorption by PVPP was discussed by results of Scatchard plot analysis and infrared spectroscopic analysis. Furthermore, it was found that fission productions except for Re(VII) as the simulant of Tc(VII) and Pd(II) are not adsorbed on to PVPP and that Pd(II) and Re(VII) species are weakly adsorbed in the lower concentration ranges of nitric acid, where the adsorption rates of Pd(II) are extremely slower than those of U(VI). These results indicate that U(VI) can be separated from other metal ions by PVPP.