Separation of thorium from radioactive rare-earth waste residue using aminophosphonate-functionalized polymer resin

Rare earth (RE) elements is usually associated with radioactive thorium (Th) in nature. Here, we develop a new solid-phase extraction system for the separation of Th, and the effects of acidity, equilibrium time and cycle times on the adsorption performance of the resin were investigated. Kinetic studies show the extraction system has excellent chemical stability and cyclic stability. Further study the application of the resin in industry demonstrated that the separation efficiency is still up to 88%. Therefore, this work not only provides a new strategy for solid-phase extraction system, but also opens up a new way for Th separation.