Uranium Ions Removal Using Amberlite CG-400 Anion Exchanger Resin in the Presence of Sulfate Anions

Uptake of uranium (VI) ions using an anion exchanger resin, namely Amberlite CG-400, was studied through this work in the presence of sulfate anions. Impact of various parameters including pH, contact time, initial concentration of uranium ions and intrusion with different anion contents (phosphate, chloride, sulfate, nitrate and fluoride) was examined on the sorption performance of the resin. Results showed that sorption of uranium ions on the resin occurs considerably at pH=4 and higher. Kinetics of the sorption process was very fast and uranium sorption percentage reached to its maximum at very short time. An estimation of sorption process was also performed using isotherm and kinetics equations, which led to conformity of Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models with experimental data, respectively. The maximum sorption capacity (qmax) was found to be 63.29 mg.g-1. Presence of various anions species in solution showed that uranium sorption using Amberlite CG-400 anion exchange resin could strongly be affected. Presense of sulfate ions in the solution led to an increase in the sorption of uranium content by resin. Phosphate ions did not interfere with uranium ions sorption, however, flouride, nitrate and chloride exsictence in the medium caused a decline in the resin soprtion’s strength.