Novel extractant impregnated resin for preconcentration and determination of uranium from environmental samples

A novel method based on impregnation of Amberlite XAD-4 with extractant isonitroso-4-methyl-2-pentanone (IMP) has been developed for U6 + extraction and determination in various samples. The prepared extractant impregnated resin (EIR) sorbent was characterized by the field emission scanning electron microscope. The sorbent was packed in a glass column and investigated for various parameters such as pH, eluent, sample and eluent flow rates to optimize sorption desorption conditions for U6 +. U6 + is quantitatively determined at pH 4 with flow rate 2 mL/min which showed recovery of 98.9%. The sorption behaviour of U6 + by EIR was also studied using different equilibrium isotherms and kinetic models and the experimental data confirmed that it follows Freundlich isotherm and Weber-Morris pore diffusion kinetic model. The investigation of foreign ions influence on U6 + sorption showed least interference and thus, facilitated its extraction and determination in Uranmicrolite (leachate) ore tailing, synthetic mixtures and spiked water samples. The detection limit was 0.41 μg/L while the limit of quantification as 1.35 μg/L made the method quite accurate.