Chemically modified polymer beads for sorption of gold from waste gold solution

A simple method to convert gold from waste gold solutions used in chemical laboratories and chemical industries into metallic gold nano particles using styrene maleic acid copolymer beads has been approached. The styrene maleic acid copolymer beads with an average bead diameter 400-600 microns, exhibiting exceptionally high rough surface was used as a polymer matrix for the reducing gold from aqueous solution to metallic nano gold. Uptake of gold ions from aqueous waste gold solution was attempted in a batch process. Conversion of gold to metallic nano gold was achieved without the use of any external reducing agents. The metallic nano gold particles could be embedded into polymer matrix within 2 h. The beads exhibited high temperature resistance and could sustain upto 400 degrees C. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.