ADSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF GERMANIUM(IV) ON BRANCHED-SACCHARIDE CHITOSAN DERIVATIVES

Branched-saccharide-chitosan resins and beads selectively adsorbed ger manium(IV) from aqueous solutions containing semimetals over the range of weakly acidic to basic media by a batch method. The chitosan deriv atives had large adsorption capacities of up to about 2 mmol g(-1). On the other hand, by a column method, the chitosan derivatives adsorbed both germanium(IV) and boron, However, when a mixture of germanium(IV ) and boron was applied to the column, boron, initially adsorbed on th e column, was gradually substituted by germanium(IV), and was finally eluted. The germanium(IV), adsorbed on the column, was almost quantita tively recovered by elution with hydrochloric acid.