Synthesis of a new ion imprinted polymer material for separation and preconcentration of traces of uranyl ions

Uranyl ion imprinted polymers (IIPs) were synthesized by formation of ternary or binary complexes of uranyl ion (UO22+) with Piroxicam (Pir) and 4-vinylpyridine (VP) as chelating agent following copolymerizing with styrene as functional monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) or ethyleneglycoldimethyl methacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linking monomer using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. Control polymers (CPs) were prepared under identical conditions without the use of uranyl imprint ion. The synthesized polymers were characterized by IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis techniques. Of the several polymers synthesized, the imprinted polymer formed with ternary complex of UO22+-Pir-VP (1:2:2;IIP1) showed quantitative enrichment of uranyl ion from aqueous solution. Then various parameters that affect the preconcentration were optimized in both batch and column methods. The percent enrichment and retention capacity of IIP1 for UO22+ was found to be 98% and 38.58 mg g−1, respectively. The proposed IIP1 was tested for preconcentration of uranyl ion from ground water and sea water samples.