Synthesis of a phosphoramidate chelating fibre and its adsorption of trace amounts of gallium and indium

Abstract

The phosphoramidate chelating fibre was synthesized in the laboratory, using poly(vinyl chloride) fibre as a starting material, and for optimizing the conditions for synthesis. The structure of the chelating fibre was determined by infrared spectrometry. The parameters studied, in order to concentrate trace amounts of Ga and In using the chelating fibre, included acidity, flow rate, saturating capacity of adsorption, effect of re-use, interfering ions and desorption. Real samples enriched in Ga and In were analysed by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. When the concentrations of both Ga and In were 0.04 mg l^–1, the relative standard deviation was 3.4% for Ga and 3.6% for ln.