Synthesis of new water-soluble metal-binding polymers: Combinatorial chemistry approach. 1997 mid-year progress report

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/13630· OSTI ID:13630

Smith, B F

'The first objective of this research is to develop rapid discovery and optimization approaches to new water-soluble chelating polymers. A byproduct of the development approach will be the new, selective, and efficient metal-binding agents. The second objective is to evaluate the concept of using water and organic soluble polymers as new solid supports for combinatorial synthesis. The technology under development, Polymer Filtration (PF), is a technique to selectively remove or recover hazardous and valuable metal ions and radionuclides from various dilute aqueous streams. Not only can this technology be used to remediate contaminated soils and solid surfaces and treat aqueous wastes, it can also be incorporated into facilities as a pollution prevention and waste minimization technology. Polymer Filtration uses water-soluble metal-binding polymers to sequester metal ions in dilute solution. The water-soluble polymers have a sufficiently large molecular size that they can be separated and concentrated using commercial ultrafiltration technology. Water, small organic molecules, and unbound metals pass freely through the ultrafiltration membrane while concentrating the metal-binding polymer. The polymers can then be reused by changing the solution conditions to release the metal ions. The metal-ions are recovered in concentrated form for recycle or disposal using a diafiltration process. The water-soluble polymer can be recycled for further aqueous-stream processing. To advance Polymer Filtration technology to the selectivity levels required for DOE needs. fixture directions in Polymer Filtration must include rapid development, testing, and characterization of new metal-binding polymers. The development of new chelating molecules can be equated to the process of new drugs or new materials discovery. Thus, the authors want to build upon and adapt the combinatorial chemistry approaches developed for rapid molecule generation for the drug industry to the rapid development of new chelating polymers.'

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Science and Risk Policy
• OSTI ID: 13630
• Report Number(s): EMSP-54724--97; ON: DE00013630
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL WASTES
Chemical Reactions
Chemical Wastes
DECOMMISSIONING
DECONTAMINATION
Decommissioning
Decontamination
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
High-Level Radioactive Wastes
PROGRESS REPORT
Progress Report
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMEDIAL ACTION
Radioactive Wastes
Remedial Action
SOLID SOLUTIONS
Solid Solutions