Scientists find new way to extract gold from old electronics using cheese – ARAB TIMES – KUWAIT NEWS

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SWITZERLAND, July 15: Scientists at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed a revolutionary method to recycle electronic waste by extracting gold using a surprising ingredient: denatured whey protein, a byproduct of cheese production.

In a recent press release, researchers at ETH Zurich detailed their innovative approach, which involves using whey proteins to create a sponge that can capture gold ions from old electronics. Once immersed in a solution of metal ions, the whey sponge effectively binds the gold flakes to its protein fibers. By heating the sponge, the team was able to recover about 450 milligrams of gold from 20 computer motherboards, with a purity equivalent to 22 carats.

Published in the journal Advanced Materials, their findings mark a significant step forward toward sustainable recycling practices amid a global surge in e-waste. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), e-waste has become the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, surpassing 59 million tonnes in 2019 alone. Improper disposal of e-waste releases toxic substances such as lead and mercury into the environment, posing serious risks to public health and the environment.

ETH Zurich’s new recycling method bypasses traditional processes for extracting precious metals from electronic waste, which require a lot of energy and chemicals. The breakthrough promises not only to reduce environmental impact, but also to treat food industry waste by valorizing whey proteins, thereby mitigating methane emissions from the decomposition of organic matter in landfills.

Professor Raffaele Mezzenga from ETH Zurich’s Department of Health Sciences and Technology was enthusiastic about the project’s sustainable approach: “The fact that we are using a by-product of the food industry to recover gold from e-waste is particularly satisfying in terms of sustainability.” Mezzenga believes the process is economically viable, estimating that the costs will be significantly lower than the value of the gold extracted from e-waste.

The researchers plan to explore the possibility of creating “protein fibril sponges” from other food waste byproducts. They also intend to adapt their method to industrial waste sources such as microchip manufacturing and gold plating, thereby advancing the potential applications of their environmentally friendly technology.

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