Cornell-led researchers have announced a groundbreaking method to extract gold from electronic waste and convert CO2 into organic materials, addressing the urgent need for sustainable e-waste management and environmental protection.
In a groundbreaking advancement for environmental sustainability, a research team led by Cornell University has unveiled an innovative method to extract gold from electronic waste and repurpose it as a catalyst for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into organic materials.
This pioneering technique, detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, offers a promising solution to the global e-waste problem, which currently sees only 20% of the approximately 50 million tons discarded each year being recycled.
Amin Zadehnazari, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Alireza Abbaspourrad, the Yongkeun Joh Associate Professor of Food Chemistry and Ingredient Technology in Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has synthesized vinyl-linked covalent organic frameworks (VCOFs) that effectively remove gold ions and nanoparticles from circuit boards in discarded electronics.
Remarkably, one of these VCOFs was able to selectively capture 99.9% of the gold while leaving behind other metals, such as nickel and copper.
“We can then use the gold-loaded COFs to convert CO2 into useful chemicals,” Zadehnazari, the lead author, said in a news release. “By transforming CO2 into value-added materials, we not only reduce waste disposal demands, we also provide both environmental and practical benefits. It’s kind of a win-win for the environment.”
E-waste is often considered a literal gold mine, as a ton of e-waste contains at least 10 times more gold than a ton of traditional gold ore. With projections indicating an increase to 80 million metric tons of e-waste by 2030, the need for effective recovery methods is more urgent than ever.
Unlike traditional gold recovery processes that involve hazardous chemicals such as cyanide, Zadehnazari’s approach leverages chemical adsorption to capture gold, thereby mitigating environmental risks.
“Knowing how much gold and other precious metals go into these type of electronics devices, being able to recover them in a way where you can selectively capture the metal you want — in this case, gold — is very important,” added Abbaspourrad, the corresponding author.
This breakthrough not only paves the way for more sustainable electronic waste management but also highlights the potential of transforming CO2, a major greenhouse gas, into valuable organic materials. This dual impact exemplifies innovative thinking in addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.