Title: Extraction of precious metals from electronic waste by using supercritical fluid technology

Authors: Seyed Mohammad Fayaz; Mohammad Ali Abdoli; Majid Baghdadi; Abdolreza Karbassi

Addresses: School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ' School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ' School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ' School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Electronic and electrical wastes are types of special wastes that are toxic, pathogenic and stable in the environment, even in the animals' body, corrosion and the like. Disposal management of these materials is challenging due to the difficulty of separation and insufficient research into their recycling process. Selection of appropriate collection, separation, processing, and recycling and disposal methods based on scientifically-acceptable principles will help to effectively control. In this study, the development of an innovative method for recovering valuable metals from electronic solid wastes has been studied and the results show that the use of supercritical extraction method in extracting its metals has high efficiency and superiority over the methods. Traditional and conventional extraction is more commercially satisfactory. Benefits such as reduced process time, fluid-like solubility and penetration power such as gases, high selectivity, no environmental problems, reduced solvent utilisation in this method, complete and easy solvent recovery.

Keywords: precious metals; electronic waste; supercritical fluid technology; environmental friendly process.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2022.120623

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2022 Vol.29 No.1, pp.95 - 109

Received: 03 Oct 2019
Accepted: 17 Jan 2020

Published online: 31 Jan 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article