Development of a new simultaneous separation of cesium and strontium by extraction chromatograph utilization of a hybridized macroporous silica-based functional material

• A novel hybridized macroporous silica-based supramolecular recognition material was prepared.
• The functional materials exhibited strong adsorption ability and high selectivity for Sr(II) and Cs(I).
• The simultaneous separation of both Cs(I) and Sr(II) from HNO3 was achieved by extraction chromatography.
• A new separation process entitled GPSC was proposed.

Based on the intermolecular modification of 1,3-[(2,4-diethylheptylethoxy)oxy]-2,4-crown-6-calix[4]arene (Calix[4]) with 4,4′,(5′)-di(t-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6 (DBC), a hybridized macroporous silica-based supramolecular recognition material, Calix[4]@DBC/SiO2-P, was prepared. The agents were impregnated and immobilized into the pores of the SiO2-P particles support. The adsorption of Cs(I), Sr(II), and some typical coexistent metals onto Calix[4]@DBC/SiO2-P was investigated. The influence of contact time and HNO3 concentration in the range of 0.4–6.0 M was studied. Calix[4]@DBC/SiO2-P exhibited high adsorption ability and selectivity for Sr(II) and Cs(I) except for Rb(I) and Ba(II). The simultaneous partitioning of Cs(I) and Sr(II) from a simulated highly active liquid waste was performed by Calix[4]@DBC/SiO2-P packed column. They were effectively eluted with water and flowed into effluent along with Rb(I) and Ba(II), while others showed no adverse impact. A new separation process, GPSC (Group Partitioning of Strontium and Cesium by Extraction Chromatography), for the separation of Cs(I) and Sr(II) was proposed.

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