Interaction between chitosan and uranyl ions. Role of physical and physicochemical parameters on the kinetics of sorption

This work corresponds to the first part of our studies on the interactions between chitosan particles dispersed in water and uranyl ions. The measurements were obtained by ICP, and we considered the role of various physical and physicochemical parameters related to chitosan. We showed that the crystallinity, the particle dimensions, and the swelling in water of chitosan are parameters which are connected together and govern the kinetic laws of metal diffusion and sorption. The molecular mobility of the polymer chains is then the essential parameter.