Researchers in Finland have discovered a surprisingly simple way to recover silver from waste, using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Teams from the University of Helsinki and the University of Jyväskylä recognized that fatty acids found in cooking oils can be combined with hydrogen peroxide to dissolve silver safely from electronic and industrial waste. Then, using a safer alternative to harsh industrial chemicals called ethyl acetate, silver is separated and recovered.
This new method, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, skips the harsh, polluting chemicals that are usually part of the recycling process, according to SciTechDaily.
If you've ever tossed out an old phone or broken keyboard, you may have thrown away more than you realized. Silver is essential to the tech we use every day, from solar panels and smartphones to electric vehicles, yet less than 20% of it gets recycled.
"Its future role is pivotal in supporting mineral extraction and securing its supply for personal and industrial electronics and the ever-growing demand for solar panels as a driver for the green transition," the paper stated about recycling.
The price of silver has jumped sixfold over the past 25 years, making it more important than ever to find better ways to reuse it.
With the demand growing and the cost of mining climbing, finding better ways to reuse what we already have is a win-win. Unlike conventional silver extraction, which often involves toxic acids and polluting by-products, this approach is much gentler.
Think salad dressing meets science lab: natural oils and hydrogen peroxide quietly working together to break down silver waste.
The fatty acids dissolve and stabilize the silver, making recovery easier and safer. Better yet, the ingredients can be reused in the process, keeping costs down and reducing chemical waste.
To understand how the process works, University of Jyväskylä professor Karoliina Honkala and her team used computational chemistry models to explore how fatty acids stabilize silver ions.
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Giving me money back 💰 Postdoctoral researcher Anže Zupanc explained the broader goal: "It is highly desirable to design new sustainable separation and recycling strategies to replace current processes that strain the environment."
This breakthrough ties into the broader push toward a circular economy, a system where materials are reused instead of tossed. It's a concept gaining traction thanks to efforts from companies like Trashie, which helps consumers recycle hard-to-recycle items, and Thousand Fell, which gives worn-out shoes a second life.
Other researchers are also experimenting with similar ideas, like using food industry by-products to extract gold from electronic waste, offering yet another way to turn trash into treasure.
Beyond its environmental impact, the technique could also improve human health by avoiding harsh solvents that pollute air and water. Keeping toxic runoff out of landfills and waterways could reduce the presence of microplastics and harmful substances in the places we live and breathe.
And for recyclers and manufacturers, the reusability of the ingredients offers real monetary savings, helping the planet and the bottom line.
While the method is still in the research phase, its simplicity and efficiency make it a strong candidate for wider adoption. With more testing and development, consumers could see this green-tech innovation making its way into commercial recycling systems sooner than expected.
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