Rapid removal of arsenic(V) by zirconium(IV) loaded phosphoric chelate adsorbent synthesized by radiation induced graft polymerization Noriaki Seko a, * , Fatmuanis Basuki b , Masao Tamada a , Fumio Yoshii a a Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292, Japan b Center for Education and Training, National Nuclear Energy Agency, JL. Raya Pasar Jumat, P.O. Box 1810 JKS, Jakarta 12018, Indonesia Received 6 November 2003; received in revised form 20 February 2004; accepted 28 February 2004 Available online 13 April 2004 Abstract Fibrous arsenic(As) adsorbent was synthesized by loading zirconium(Zr) on fibrous phosphoric adsorbent which was directly synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphoric acid on polyethyl- ene-coated polypropylene nonwoven fabric. Zirconium reacted with phosphoric acid grafted in the polyethylene layer. Zirconium density of the resulting adsorbent was 4.1 mmol/g. The breakthrough curve of As(V) adsorption was in- dependent of the flow rate up to 1300 h 1 in space velocity. The total capacity of As(V) was 2.0 mmol/g-adsorbent at pH of 2. The adsorbed Zr(IV) could be evaluated by 0.4 M sodium hydroxide solution because no Zr(IV) could be found in the eluted solution. Anions of chloride and nitrate interfered the breakthrough capacity. Ó 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Phosphoric adsorbent; Radiation-induced grafting; Zr loading; Arsenic(V) adsorption; Column adsorption 1. Introduction Arsenic(As) is a naturally occurring substance in the earth, and it very widely distributes in the environment more often as arsenic sulfide or as metallic arsenates and arsenides. Arsenic is intro- duced into water through natural and anthropo- genic sources: dissolution of mineral ores, from industrial effluents and agricultural activities and via atmospheric pollution. Being inorganic, pen- tavalent arsenic is the most common species pres- ent in well-oxygenated surface waters [1,2]. Most of the As produced commercially accumulates as a by-product in the melting of non-ferrous metal ores containing Cu, Ni, Pb, Ag and Co. The falling world demand for arsenic oxides, its high toxicity and the new environmental requirements have * Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-27-346-9383; fax: +81-27- 346-9381. E-mail address: seko@taka.jaeri.go.jp (N. Seko). 1381-5148/$ - see front matter Ó 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2004.02.003 Reactive & Functional Polymers 59 (2004) 235–241 www.elsevier.com/locate/react REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS