Recovery of uranium by tannin immobilized on matrices which have amino group

Tannin, which contains polyhydroxy groups, has a high affinity for uranium. Various tannin–protein complexes were prepared to develop new adsorbents for uranium recovery from seawater. Albumin tannate has a high ability to adsorb uranium from seawater. Tannin was immobilized on matrices which have multiple active amino groups, such as aminopolystyrene and poly(vinyl‐4,6‐diamino‐ s ‐triazine)—poly VT. Of these complexes, tannin immobilized on poly VT adsorbed uranium most efficiently from seawater and highly selectively from a solution containing various heavy metals; the uranium adsorption was very rapid and was pH dependent. This adsorbent therefore appears to have potential for use in a commercial process for uranium recovery from seawater or from uranium‐containing waste water.