Abstract
Amidoximated cotton waste (AO cotton waste) was prepared through the reaction of cyanoethylated cotton waste (CE cotton waste) with hydroxylamine. Uranium and heavy metal ion adsorbing characteristics of AO cotton waste were investigated. AO cotton waste was not found effective in the adsorption of Cu ion. However, the adsorption capacity of AO cotton waste was remarkably improved by hydrolysing with 0.5 N NaOH solution for 10 hrs at 70%. The order of adsorption capacity of hydrolysed AO cotton waste (H-AO cotton waste) at the adsorption equilibrium was found to be $Hg^{2+}>Cu^{2+}>Zn^{2+}>Ni^{2+}>Cd^{2+}$. The adsorption for the most of heavy metal ions increased at the range of neutral pH. However, the adsorption capacity for $UO_2$ ion was maximum at the range of pH 2.5~3.0, and measured to be 2.10 mmol/g which is closed to the theoretical value. The adsorption of $UO_2$ and Hg ion at pH 3 and pH 6, respectively, was highly dependent on their concentration up to 500 ppd. The $UO_2$ ion adsorption at pH 6 was little affected by its concentration, though the adsorption was low.