National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”, Moscow, Russia:

Ya. B. Kovalskaya, Engineer, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Contemporary Energetics’ Materials, e-mail: yana-sti@bk.ru
E. A. Zelichenko, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Contemporary Energetics’ Materials
V. V. Guzeev, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Contemporary Energetics’ Materials
L. D. Ageeva, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Technology of Contemporary Energetics’ Materials

The possibility of using the granulated cellulose-containing material as a sorbent for the extraction of gold from chloride solutions in industry is proved in the present work. Material samples obtained from cotton cellulose and yarn wastes from terry cotton fabrics by means of chemical treatment and dissolution of raw material, processing of base material, dissolution and extruding with the subsequent hardening, washing and drying of granules are studied. It is established that the dependence of specific surface area value on cellulose concentration in the sorption material is not linear. Results of the scanning electronic microscopy research show that the surface of the obtained granules has a developed system of pores. Size distribution research of the pores for cellulose-containing materials on the basis of 2.5% solutions of cotton cellulose and cellulose in the form of yarn wastes is conducted. It is revealed that the obtained materials are macroporous. Sorption ability of cellulose-containing materials is studied in the process of gold extraction from chloride solutions. It is established that at рН = 1 the gold extraction value increases with the increase of cellulose concentration in operating solutions up to 2.5%. Results of the X-ray fluorescent analysis show that anion gold complexes are almost completely adsorbed by the granulated sorption material from chloride solutions containing 10 mg/l of gold. Materials on the basis of 2.5% cellulose solution in the form of yarn wastes from terry cotton fabrics have the highest sorption ability in relation to gold at рН = 0–1.

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