ABSTRACT
Both the adsorption and non adsorption of selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) on anion and cation exchange resins have been utilized for the isolation of these two elements from complex matrices such as geological and biological materials. Tetravalent Se is virtually not adsorbed on strongly basic resins such as Dowex 1 at low hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentrations up to about 6 M. Te is strongly adsorbed from 9 M lithium (Li) chloride solutions, a fact which has been used to separate it from Se which is not retained from this medium. Like Te, tetravalent polonium (Po) is strongly adsorbed on basic resins from HCl solutions. It is to be expected that the distribution coefficients of Po will be higher at all acidities than that of Te because of the more pronounced metallic properties of the former element.
