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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