Effect of gamma-irradiation of ion imprinted polymer (IIP) particles for the preconcentrative separation of dysprosium from other selected lanthanides

The selectivity of zinc with respect to copper ions was improved by γ-irradiation of surface imprinted polymer particles. We have reported the preparation of dysprosium ion imprinted polymer (IIP) particles by covalent approach during molecular imprinting. This paper reports the results obtained after γ-irradiation of dysprosium IIP particles and their use in the preconcentration/separation of dysprosium from dilute aqueous solutions containing other selected lanthanides. Further, the characterisation of blank and dysprosium IIP particles was carried out either with and without irradiation by IR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), XRD and surface area and pore size analysis techniques. The significant features observed in these experiments in the non-selectivity of blank polymer particles for dysprosium over other lanthanide ions and 35-180-fold enhancement in selectivity coefficients of irradiated dysprosium IIPs formed by covalent approach. In addition, the selectivity coefficients obtainable by γ-irradiated were compared with unirradiated dysprosium IIP particles and separation factors obtained by liquid-liquid extraction separation using di(2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid as extractant.