Binding of lanthanide and actinide cations by polypyrrole resins

The fixation of thorium cations by reduction of polypyrrole/ polystyrene sulfonate resins has been studied in relation to the most important experimental parameters, i.e. potential scan rate, pH, cation concentration of the electrolytic bath and capacity of the resin. The electropolymerization of pyrrole in aqueous solu- tions of NaC104 and polystyrene sulfonate allows the capacity and the structure of the resins to be changed and correlated to the Th4+ fixation, which is of prime importance for the potential of these resins in the treatment of radioactive wastes.