Sorption of Neodymium from Nitrate Solutions by Humic Acids-Based Sorbent

Abstract

 This work obtained a sorbent based on humic acids (HA) isolated from oxidized brown coals of the Maikuben deposit. The study of humic acids by IR spectroscopy showed the presence of various functional groups (OH-, COOH-) in the sorbent, which can enter into ion-exchange reactions with metals. Humic acids have been tested as a sorbent for neodymium. Neodymium sorption was carried out under static conditions from nitrate solutions. It was found that with a sorption time of 30 min and a solution pH is 1.0, the sorption efficiency of neodymium is 95.5%. A sorbent based on humic acids was used to separate neodymium from a solution obtained by dissolving electronic waste (neodymium magnet). SEM-analysis and mapping of the sorbent surface after neodymium sorption showed that neodymium was absent on the sorbent surface.