Efficient thorium (IV) removal from cerium-containing solution using hydrogels of polyacrylic acid and polyethylenimine as sustainable interpolymer system
Utesheva A. Jumadilov T. Gražulevičius J.V. Zhanerke Y. Tassibekov K. Khuangul K. Imangazy A.
2025Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Chemical Papers
2025
The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) necessitates sustainable methods for thorium (Th) removal from REE-containing solutions. This study introduces an interpolymer system of polyacrylic acid (hPAA) and polyethylenimine (hPEI) hydrogels for selective Th(IV) sorption from Ce(III)-containing solutions. The system (hPAA@hPEI, molar ratios X:Y of ionogenic groups) was activated via remote interaction in aqueous media. ICP-AES analysis showed 92% Th(IV) removal at pH 2.65 after 24 h from a Th/Ce mixture (initial [Th] = [Ce] = 5.0 mg/L), with Th uptake of 4.416 mg/g in hPEI (corresponding to a metal-to-ligand M/L ratio of 1:4) and negligible Ce sorption (0.014 mg/g). SEM–EDS confirmed 1.95 wt.% Th in hPEI, while FTIR revealed N–H shifts (from 3270 to 3250 cm⁻1) indicating Th-N coordination. Sorption followed the Langmuir isotherm (qmax = 5.12 mg/g, KL = 0.82 L/mg, R2 = 0.99), indicative of monolayer chemisorption on homogeneous amine sites. The conditional stability constant (log Kc) was estimated at ~ 5.2, with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.1 mg/L. This eco-friendly system offers potential for immobilizing radioactive Th, enhancing REE purification sustainability.
Activation , Cerium , Hydrogels , Interpolymer system , Sorption , Thorium
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Laboratory of Polymer Synthesis and Physicochemistry, Bekturov Institute of Chemical Sciences, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Research and Materials Analysis, Institute of High Technologies (Kazatomprom), Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
School of Chemical Engineering, Kazakh-British Technical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Polymer Synthesis and Physicochemistry
Laboratory of Research and Materials Analysis
Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology
School of Chemical Engineering
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026