As the digital age accelerates, the world is facing a mounting challenge: electronic waste. Driven by rapid advancements in AI and internet-based technologies, discarded phones, laptops, and other devices are piling up at an alarming rate.
According to the UN's Global E-waste Monitor (GEM), e-waste is growing five times faster than it is being properly recycled. In 2022 alone, a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated-an 82% increase since 2010. This volume is expected to rise another 32%, reaching 82 million tonnes by 2030. The discarded devices not only contribute to environmental harm but also represent billions of dollars in lost rare and valuable resources. Shockingly, just 1% of global rare earth element demand is currently met through e-waste recycling.
However, scientists have now developed a promising solution. A new, safe, and sustainable method for extracting gold from electronic waste has been published in Nature Sustainability. The technique offers a cleaner alternative to current practices and could also reduce the health and environmental risks linked to small-scale gold mining.
The authors of the study offer insight into the method. Here's how it works:
Step 1: Gold Dissolution - Gold is first dissolved using trichloroisocyanuric acid, which is activated by a halide catalyst to oxidize gold from e-waste materials.
Step 2: Gold Binding - A specially developed polysulfide polymer sorbent is introduced to selectively bind the dissolved gold from the leach solution.
Step 3: Gold Recovery - The gold is then recovered in high purity by either pyrolyzing or depolymerizing the polymer that captured it.
The newly validated process has proven effective on electronic waste, natural ores, and other gold-containing materials. Unlike traditional mining methods, it avoids the use of harsh chemicals, making it a more environmentally friendly and safer alternative. This technique presents a sustainable solution for gold extraction, supporting greener production from both primary and recycled sources. With significant potential for large-scale application, it transforms discarded electronics into valuable resources, promoting responsible e-waste recycling.
As e-waste continues to surge-equivalent to 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks forming a line around the equator-this breakthrough offers hope. By turning trash into treasure, the method could play a crucial role in global recycling efforts and resource recovery.
