Enhancement of uranyl ion uptake by prestructuring of acrylamide-maleic acid hydrogels

Acrylamide-maleic acid (AAm-MA) hydrogels were prepared by gamma-irradiatio n of their aqueous solutions. UO2+2 ion uptake on P(AAm-MA) hydrogels was i nvestigated using two types of gel systems prepared by a simple irradiation method and a prestructured reaction. It has been observed that gels prestr uctured with UO2+2 ions adsorbed approximately 15-20% more UO2+2 ions than gels prepared in pure water (the usual method). It was also found that the uranyl ion adsorption capacity of hydrogels increased with an increasing am ount of maleic acid in the gel system and an increasing concentration of ur anyl ion in the solution. A possible interaction mechanism between the grou ps in the copolymeric gels and UO2+2 ion has been proposed based on the sto ichiometry and the spectroscopic evidence. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.