Sorption and binary exchange of nitrate, sulfate, and uranium on an anion-exchange resin

Environ Sci Technol. 2004 Jun 1;38(11):3184-8. doi: 10.1021/es034902m.

Abstract

Competitive ion-exchange reactions were studied on a strong-base anion-exchange resin to remove NO3- and uranium from a contaminated groundwater containing high levels of NO3- (approximately 140 mM), SO4(2-) (approximately 10 mM), and U(VI) (approximately 0.2 mM). Results indicate that although SO4(2-) carries divalent negative charges, it showed the least selectivity for sorption by the Purolite A-520E resin, which is functionalized with triethylamine exchange sites. Nitrate was the most strongly sorbed. Sorption selectivity followed the order of NO3- > Cl- > SO4(2-) under the experimental conditions. Nitrate competitively sorbed and displaced previously sorbed SO4(2-) in a column flow-through experiment and resulted in a high elution front of SO4(2-) in the effluent. Although the concentration of uranium in groundwater is orders of magnitude lower than that of NO3- or SO4(2-), it was found to be strongly sorbed by the anion-exchange resin. Because the most stable uranium species in oxic and suboxic environments is the UO2(2+) cation, its strong sorption by anion-exchange resins is hypothesized to be the result of the co-ion effect of NO3- by forming anionic UO2(NO3)3- complexes in the resin matrix. These observations point out a potential alternative remediation strategy that uses strong-base anion-exchange resins to remove uranium from this site-specific groundwater, which has a low pH and a relatively high NO3- concentration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Ion Exchange Resins / chemistry*
  • Nitrates / chemistry
  • Nitrates / isolation & purification*
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / isolation & purification*
  • Sulfates / chemistry
  • Sulfates / isolation & purification*
  • Temperature
  • Uranium / chemistry
  • Uranium / isolation & purification*
  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive / isolation & purification*
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Ion Exchange Resins
  • Nitrates
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Sulfates
  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Uranium