- The Zurich Federal Institute of Technology has found a method by which electronic waste can be recycled without the use of toxic chemicals.
- The 450-milligram ingot, which was converted into gold from a computer motherboard and whey, contains 91% gold and 9% copper.
- The new method is not only sustainable but also cost-effective thanks to the use of waste.
A group of researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich discovered that electronic waste can be turned into gold. This environmentally friendly and sustainable method is based on fibril sponge obtained from whey.
According to World Health Organization data, electronic waste is the fastest growing type of solid waste in the world. If electronic waste is not recycled, it poses a danger to the environment and human health. Electronic waste recycling methods developed to date required the use of energy-intensive and toxic chemicals. Raffaele Mezzenga and his team from ETH Zurich’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology have produced a different method to solve this problem. Copper, cobalt and high amounts of gold contained in electronic waste can now be recycled in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
Mohammad Peydayesh and his colleagues denatured the whey under acidic conditions and high temperatures. After the resulting nanofibrils were collected in the gel, they were dried and a sponge was formed. Motherboards and metal parts were salvaged from 20 old computers. An acid bath was applied to ionize the metals. Protein fiber nanofibril sponge was placed in this solution. In the next step, by heating the sponge, the gold ions turned into flakes. The flakes melted, creating a small gold nugget. The 450 milligram bar was 22 carat with a content of 91% gold and 9% copper.
The cost of the production process in the new technology is 50 times lower than the value of recycled gold. Considering the rate of waste smartphones and computers, this method is commercially very advantageous.
Researchers aim to develop the technology and make it suitable for the market. Source scanning continues for microchips and other industrial waste and food industry by-products.
Compiled by: Esame Ayşe Atalay