Ligand separation with a copper(II)-loaded polymeric ligand exchanger

The present study characterizes a new polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE) for enhanced separation of trace anionic ligands, and investigates related inte rfacial chemistry. Compared to conventional anion exchangers, the PLE exhib ited significantly different selectivity sequence and elution profiles, whi ch may be utilized in enhancing selective capture of target solutes and/or chromatographic separation of anionic ligands. Experimental data indicate t hat the exchanger phase pH is significantly higher across the resin-solutio n interface caused by the Donnan co-ion exclusion effect. Intraparticle dif fusion appears to be the rate-limiting step during a typical fixed-bed colu mn run. A linear free-energy relationship (LFER) was derived and experiment ally validated between the binary separation factors and the aqueous phase metal-ligand stability constants.