Adsorption behavior of germanium(IV) on branched-saccharide chitosan derivatives

Branched-saccharide-chitosan resins and beads selectively adsorbed germanium(IV) from aqueous solutions containing semimetals over the range of weakly acidic to basic media by a batch method. The chitosan derivatives had large adsorption capacities of up to about 2 mmol g(-1). On the other hand, by a column method, the chitosan derivatives adsorbed both germanium(IV) and boron, However, when a mixture of germanium(IV) and boron was applied to the column, boron, initially adsorbed on the column, was gradually substituted by germanium(IV), and was finally eluted. The germanium(IV), adsorbed on the column, was almost quantitatively recovered by elution with hydrochloric acid.