Polymer supported iminodipropylene glycol functions for removal of boron

Abstract

Polymer supported iminodipropylene glycol functions have been shown to be efficient in chelation with boric acid and can be used for removal of boric acid at ppm levels. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)–methyl methacrylate (MMA)–DVB (divinyl benzene) terpolymer beads have been prepared and used as support. The polymer support with 3.4 mmol g−1 oxirane content can be readily modified by reacting with an excess of ethylene diamine, in high conversion yields (99.1%). Reaction of the latter with glycidol gives corresponding resin with aminopropylene glycol functions. The resulting resin has been demonstrated to be an efficient sorbent for removal of boron. The resin has 3 mmol g−1 of boron loading capacity and shows reasonably rapid sorption ability so that boron in 10 ml of H3BO3 solution (50 ppm) can be removed almost completely in less than 12 min of contact time by 0.5 g of polymer sample. Splitting of sorbed boron can be achieved by simple acid leaching (4 M HCl) and regenerated by NaOH solution (0.1 M).