Researchers discover 'game-changing' solution for major toxic waste crisis: 'This advance is significant'

If you've ever marveled at the foil from your favorite chocolate bar or a shiny new bicycle, you have bauxite to thank for it, Interesting Engineering explained.

This common mineral serves as the main source of aluminum in the world today. While essential to modern life, the production process involving this metal generates hazardous waste known as bauxite residue, also referred to as red mud, which poses a significant threat to our planet, degrading water, soil, and even air quality.

Fortunately, a research team at Rice University has now developed a solution for that troublesome issue. The school detailed how a fast and simple method to eliminate harmful metals from the mud in about a minute could represent a transformative change for an industry that produces millions of tons of toxic sludge annually.

"Our research presents a potential game-changing solution for the red mud crisis," James Tour, a professor of chemistry and materials science at Rice, said, per Interesting Engineering. "This advance is significant from an industrial perspective, turning what was once a toxic liability into a valuable asset in under one minute."

The method extracts aluminum using a high-powered electrical pulse, or flash Joule heating, that vaporizes the harmful heavy metals. A small amount of chlorine gas also aids the process.

As a result, the leftover aluminum-rich material is suitable for renewed production. Aluminum can also be turned into bricks and ceramic tiles.

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"In just 60 seconds, we extracted 96% of the iron and nearly all the toxic species, while retaining almost all the aluminum," co-first author and postdoctoral researcher Qiming Liu said, per Interesting Engineering.

What's more, no water or solvents are needed with this method, and sodium salts can be removed. The result won't leach harmful substances into the environment. Instead, it will reduce mining waste, reduce demand for new mining, and lower air pollution.

The project was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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