Synthesis and Characterization of Imprinted Polymers for Radioactive Waste Reduction

A cobalt(H) imprinted polymer, that could lead to significant reduction in radioactive waste volume generated during decontamination of nuclear reactors, was synthesized using [N-(4-vinylbenzyl) imino]diacetic acid as the functional monomer through two different methods. The imprinted polymer was found to selectively trap cobalt(II) ions even when present in ppb levels from strong complexing medium against excess ferrous ions. It showed no uptake of ferrous ions under the conditions tested. Cobalt sorption and desorption were found to be rapid. The cobalt selectivity of the polymer was also demonstrated with radioactive cobaltous ions wherein it showed 55% reduction in cobalt activity from a complexing solution containing 2 mu Ci of radioactive cobalt along with excess ferrous ions. The selectivity of the polymer was compared to that of a commercial resin containing similar functional ligand.