Small device conceals 22-carat gold
A Discovery that Could Transform Electronic Recycling
Researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed a method to extract precious metals from discarded electronic devices in households. They claim that this technique is not only efficient but also environmentally friendly, as it uses a byproduct of the food industry instead of contaminating chemicals.
How a Protein Sponge Can Capture Gold
The method is based on sponges designed from protein fibrils obtained from cheese production waste. These sponges have the ability to attract and capture gold ions present in discarded electronic components. To achieve this, researchers denatured whey proteins under specific acidity and temperature conditions. They then dried this substance to form a sponge capable of trapping gold ions from a solution obtained after dissolving metal parts from computer motherboards.
From Electronic Scrap to a Gold Nugget
The experiment demonstrated that with just 20 old computer motherboards, it was possible to obtain a 450-milligram nugget of 22-carat gold. The final process involved heating the sponge to reduce the collected ions into flakes, which were then melted to obtain the nugget. With 91% gold and 9% copper, its market value would reach $33. This method not only has environmental implications but also significant economic potential, as for every dollar invested, up to $50 in gold could be obtained.
