Hydrogels as a Potential Chromatographic System: Absorption, Speciation, and Separation of Chromium Species From Aqueous Media

Abstract

Hydrogels with highly charged forms and amphiphilic character, based on an anionic monomer 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propansulfonic acid sodium salt (AMPSNa) and a cationic monomer 3-acrylamidopropyltrimethylammoniumchloride (APTMACl), were synthesized via a photo-polymerization technique and investigated for potential use in the separation of chromium species with different oxidation states. They were used for three main purposes. First, a single chromium species was successfully removed from an aqueous medium in the presence of other forms using the appropriate design and synthesis of the hydrogels. Secondly, the copolymerized p(AMPSNa-co-APTMACl) hydrogels were used to remove two chromium species simultaneously from an aqueous medium. Lastly, in addition to speciation of the chromium species, their separation and removal by an externally applied magnetic field using magnetically responsive hydrogels was demonstrated.