Extractants and extractant compositions for radioisotope and metal recovery
Disclosed herein are embodiments of an extractant that can be used for chromatographic isolation of radioisotopes and/or metal species. The extractant can be combined with a support medium to provide an extractant composition that selectively and efficiently binds particular radioisotopes and/or metal species. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for using the disclosed extractant embodiments, as well as embodiments of a method for making the extractant and extractant composition.
1. A composition, comprising:
a support material; and
an extractant having a structure satisfying Formula I
wherein each R a independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic; and each R b independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic, provided that at least one R a or one R b is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a independently is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, aliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-aryl.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R b independently is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aryl, aliphatic-aryl, or heteroaliphatic-aryl.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a independently is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkyl, heteroalkenyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, alkenyl-aryl, alkynyl-aryl, heteroalkyl-aryl, heteroalkenyl-aryl, or heteroalkynyl-aryl.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R b independently is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkyl, heteroalkenyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, alkenyl-aryl, alkynyl-aryl, heteroalkyl-aryl, heteroalkenyl-aryl, or heteroalkynyl-aryl.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a independently is decyl, nonyl, octyl, septyl, or hexyl.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R b independently is decyl, nonyl, octyl, septyl, or hexyl.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a and R b independently are octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, cyclohexyl, methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a is the same and each R b is the same.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each R a is the same as each R b .
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the support material is an organic resin or an inorganic, particle-based medium.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the support material is an organic acrylic-based resin.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the support material is a silica-based support.
14. The composition of claim 13 , wherein the extractant is covalently bound to the silica-based support.
15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the extractant is
16. A method, comprising:
exposing a liquid sample to an extractant composition comprising a support material and an extractant having a structure satisfying Formula I
wherein each R a independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic; and each R b independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic, provided that at least one R a or one R b is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic; and wherein the liquid sample is exposed to the composition for a time sufficient to promote formation of a complex between the extractant composition and a radioisotope, a metal, and/or any ion thereof present in the liquid sample;
separating the complex from the liquid sample;
exposing the complex to a solution having a pH sufficient to promote dissociation of the radioisotope, the metal, or any ion thereof from the extractant composition; and
isolating the radioisotope, the metal, or any ion thereof.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the radioisotope is protactinium, niobium, a protactinium ion, a niobium ion, or any combination thereof; and wherein the sample comprises thorium, iron, zinc, any ion thereof, or any combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the metal is gold, platinum, silver, palladium, any ion thereof, or any combination thereof; and wherein the sample comprises thorium, iron, zinc, any ion thereof, or any combination thereof.
19. A compound having a structure satisfying Formula I
wherein each R a independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic; and each R b independently is hydrogen, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic, provided that at least one R a or one R b is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, aromatic, aliphatic-aromatic, or heteroaliphatic-aromatic and further provided that the compound is not or is other than
20. The compound of claim 19 , wherein the compound is
21. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the extractant is not or is other than