Abstracto

Removal of Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Polymer-Assisted Ultrafiltration

Anna Sears*, Pavel Kus, Semen Gogulin, Sara Doubravska

Ultrafiltration is a membrane process used in various industries, from drinking to wastewater treatment. In nuclear research and energy, ultrafiltration removes actinoids in colloidal or pseudo-colloidal form from wastewater. The study aimed to determine the possible use of ultrafiltration to remove dissolved metals, specifically iron and aluminium, from a solution using polyacrylic acid as an organic polymer. Three solutions were tested containing the metals of interest and boric acid, which is standardly present in the liquid nuclear waste at the LVR-15 reactor. The results showed that a well-chosen combination of ultrafiltration membrane, pH and organic polymer Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ could be successfully removed from the solution.