NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR THE HIGH-AFFINITY CAPTURE OF RADIOACTIVE METALS FROM WATER.

Insoluble, particulate molecular compositions capable of removing metals from water with extreme high efficiencies and affinities have been synthesized and tested. These compositions are characterized by specificity for the metal for which they were designed and for extremely high affinities exceeding those of ion exchange-type resins by thousands of times. Compositions have been tested that remove the following metals from water: uranium, thorium, cobalt, iron, strontium, cesium, chromium, cadmium, copper, zinc, and nickel. Another feature is the ability to be recycled efficiently. As the captured metal is removed from the composition it is further concentrated.