6. Selective separation

Selective separation is one of the major challenges facing chemists. It is a very important one, as it concerns problems of urban and social life, as well as industrial issues such as nuclear power and electronics. The scientific objective is to find methods and synthesize materials for the selective separation of certain constituents of a mixture. This may involve mineral ions or particles in a solution, or organic molecules in effluents. Biological entities may also be involved. The fundamentals exist: coordination chemistry enables the synthesis of selective chelating agents capable of specifically sequestering certain ions or particles. The same applies to molecules or biomolecules. Organic polymer chemistry and mineral polymerization enable these chelants to be incorporated into materials for the selective extraction of certain constituents from a mixture.

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