GOLD MINED FROM SIM CARDS CAN BE USED TO MAKE PAINKILLERS
Researchers from the University of Cagliari in Italy and Imperial College London have developed a method of extracting gold from printed circuit boards, SIM cards and other electronic waste, as well as a process for using recovered gold in the manufacture of medicines.
In a paper published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, scientists explain that the extraction method involves selective steps for the sustainable leaching and recovery of base metals like nickel, then copper, silver and, finally, gold, using green and safe reagents. .
The gold produced from this process, however, is part of a molecular compound and cannot be reused for electronics without investing much more energy in obtaining the yellow metal.
Seeking a use for this recovered gold compound, the research team investigated whether it could be applied as a catalyst in the manufacture of other materials or substances, including pharmaceuticals such as anti-inflammatories and painkillers. .
They found that the gold compound performed as well as, or better than, catalysts currently in use, and was also reusable, further improving its durability.
The scientists therefore suggest that making the recovery of gold from e-waste economically viable could create spin-off uses for other components recovered in the process. For example, when applying the new technique, copper and nickel are also separated, as is the plastic itself, all of which can be used in new products.
“By weight, a computer contains far more precious metals than the mined ore, providing a concentrated source of those metals in an ‘urban mine,'” Sean McCarthy, Ph.D. student leading the research in the Imperial Oil lab , said.
Given the encouraging results, McCarthy and his colleagues are now working to extend this approach to the recovery and reuse of palladium from end-of-life automotive catalytic converters. This is all the more pressing since palladium is widely used in catalysis and is more expensive than gold.
