New technique to extract gold from e-waste
Researchers have come up with a simple, eco-friendly method to pull gold out of old electronics and ore—no toxic chemicals needed.
Instead, they use a common water disinfectant and saltwater to dissolve the gold safely.
How the process works
Their process uses a special sulfur-based polymer that grabs onto the gold from all the mixed metals.
Then, with some light-triggered chemistry, they can release pure gold and recycle the polymer for next time.
They've tested it on everything from circuit boards to lab waste—and it works.
Benefits over traditional gold mining methods
Traditional gold mining often uses nasty stuff like mercury and cyanide, which harms people and nature.
This new method could cut down pollution, make e-waste recycling way safer, and reduce our need for destructive mining.
The team now hopes to scale things up so more industries can use it soon.