title: Use of Ureasil gels to extract ions from aqueous solutions.
abstract: Nanocomposite organic-inorganic gels synthesized through the sol-gel procedure by using Ureasil precursors can be employed as efficient sorbents for retaining metal cations and small anions from aqueous solutions. Sulfate or sulfonate as well as nitrate ions demonstrate a high affinity for Ureasils. High affinity was also demonstrated by trivalent metal cations. This affinity was explained by the presence of urea and of ether groups in Ureasils, which have the ability to complex many different types of ionic species.
authors.affiliation: University of Patras, Engineering Science Department, 26500 Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Vlasoula
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bekiari
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lianos
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008670:Metals / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009566:Nitrates / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013431:Sulfates / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014508:Urea / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals; D009566:Nitrates; D013431:Sulfates; D014508:Urea