Enhanced capacity of chitosan for transition-metal ions in sulphate-sulphuric acid solutions

Batch measurements have shown that the collection yields of chitosan for chromium(III), iron(III), nickel, copper(II), zinc and mercury(II) from sulphuric acid solutions are higher when the solutions contain ammonium sulphate, or when chitosan conditioned in ammonium sulphate is used, particularly at pH 3.0 and 5.0. The contrary is verified for the oxy-anions vanadate, chromate and molybdate. Manganese is never collected. At pH 1.0 no collection occurs. A procedure for recycling chromatographic columns includes fixation of Cu or Ni from a sulphate solution at pH 3-5 on sulphate-conditioned chitosan, and elution with 0.1M sulphuric acid/0.1M ammonium sulphate at pH 1.0; the presence of sulphate in the eluent obviates the detrimental effect of sulphuric acid on the next cycle. Sulphate is the favoured counter-ion of the chelated cations and its action produces shorter chromatographic bands. The interaction of sulphate with chitosan is discussed in terms of crystallinity and steric distribution of the protonated amino-groups in the polymer. Data on the new diethylaminohydroxypropylcellulose are included.