DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL TAILORED ION-IMPRINTED POLYMER FOR RECOVERY OF LITHIUM AND STRONTIUM FROM REVERSE OSMOSIS CONCENTRATED BRINE

Abstract

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants produce a large volume of brine containing a variety of concentrated metals, causing environmental concerns and obstacles. The innovation of this project is to prepare ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) with the benefit of a metal-based catalyst, which is fabricated to selectively adsorb lithium (Li+) from aqueous solutions with an attempt to remove strontium (Sr2+). The adsorption processes were carried out at different pH values, initial concentrations, and temperatures, in order to optimize the experimental conditions. The SWRO brine was physically and chemically characterized, the physiochemical characterization of the prepared IIP before and after adsorption was also performed using spectroscopic methods (SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, BET, EDX, and XPS). The adsorption capacity for Li+ and Sr2+ from SWRO brine was evaluated, the reusability of IIP was investigated using adsorption-desorption cycles. The results showed that the IIP was efficient to remove Li+ but not Sr2+, and it follows Freundlich adsorption isotherms models. The initial concentration was a significant factor unlike temperature and pH, and the IIP was efficient to be reusable.