Anion-exchange separation of uranium (VI) from thorium,zirconium, titanium,lanthanides and other elements in malonic and ascorbic acid media

Summary The anion-exchange behaviour of uranium (VI) has been studied extensively in various mineral acid media [1], but similar studies with organic acid solutions are lacking. Although the negatively charged complex of uranium in acetic acid was studied [2, 3], very small amounts of uranium could be separated and phosphate interfered. Such studies were further extended to non-aqueous media [4]. The anionic ascorbate complex of uranium and thorium were separated by selective elution with 1 mol dm^–3 hydrochloric acid and 3 mol dm^–3 sulphuric acid [5–7] respectively. Some attempts were also made to study complexes of uranium in formic and propionic acid [1] and it was separated from copper and thorium in oxalate media [4]. However systematic studies in malonate and to some extent in ascorbate media are lacking. This paper presents such studies.