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Title: Complexation of the uranyl ion with the aminomethylenediphosphonates MAMDP and AMDP

Journal Article · · Inorganic Chemistry
;  [1]
  1. Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States)

The use of uranium as a nuclear energy source has made it a valuable mineral resource over the past forty years. Processing uranium generally involves leaching the metal as the uranyl ion (UO{sub 2}){sup 2+} from ore, followed by solvent extraction, precipitation or batch adsorption onto ion exchange-type resins. Uranium reserves exist also in the form of UO{sub 2}(CO{sub 3}){sub 3}{sup 4{minus}} dissolved in seawater, and although these concentrations are very low they represent globally some 4.9 x 10{sup 9} tons. In the interest of tapping this resource efforts toward developing more efficient and selective means of UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} ion sequestering have been underway for some time. The authors have measured the stability and protonation constants of the different complexes formed in aqueous solution between the UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} ion and the compounds N,N{prime}-dimethylaminomethylenebis(phosphonic acid) (MAMDP) and aminomethylenebis(phosphonic acid) (AMDP). From these data one can evaluate the potential for compounds of this type to be useful as uranyl ion sequestering agents.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
416520
Journal Information:
Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 33, Issue 26; Other Information: PBD: 21 Dec 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English