Enhancement of uranyl ion uptake by the prestructuring of poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate itaconic acid) hydrogels in the presence of lead and cadmium ions/polarographic determination

Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate/itaconic acid) [P(HEMA/IA)] hydrogels were prepared by the γ‐ray irradiation of aqueous solutions. In the presence of lead and cadmium ions, the UO ion uptake on P(HEMA/IA) hydrogels was investigated with two types of hydrogel systems prepared by nonprestructuring and prestructuring methods. A differential pulse polarographic technique was used for the determination of trace quantities of uptake elements by the measurement of the reduction peak currents at −200, −410, and −580 mV for UO , Pb(II), and Cd(II) ions, respectively. Hydrogels prestructured with UO ions took up approximately 45% more UO ions than hydrogels prepared by the usual procedure. The UO ion uptake capacity of the hydrogels increased with an increasing percentage of itaconic acid in the hydrogel systems and an increasing concentration of UO ions in the presence of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions. Uptake studies showed that other stimuli, such as the temperature and ionic strength of the solutions, also influenced the UO ion uptake capacity of the P(HEMA/IA) hydrogels.