Analytical and reclamation technologies for identification and recycling of precious materials from waste computer and mobile phones

Author(s)

Andrade, Daniel Fernandes ^{[1, 2]} ; Castro, Jeyne Pricylla ^[2] ; Garcia, Jose Augusto ^{[2, 3]} ; Machado, Raquel Cardoso ^[2] ; Pereira-Filho, Edenir Rodrigues ^[2] ; Amarasiriwardena, Dulasiri ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Hampshire Coll, Sch Nat Sci, Amherst, MA 01002 - USA

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Chem, Grp Appl Instrumental Anal, Rod Washington Luiz, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] SG Solucoes Cient, BR-13560660 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Chemosphere; v. 286, n. 2 JAN 2022.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the world's fastest-growing class of waste. WEEE contain a large amount of precious materials that have aroused the interest to develop new recycling technologies. Hence, effective recycling strategies are extremely necessary to promote the proper handling of these materials as well as for environmentally sound recovery of secondary raw resource. This paper reviews important existing methods and emerging technologies in WEEE management, with special emphasis in characterization, extraction and reclamation of precious materials from waste computer and mobile phones. Traditional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies still play a central role in the recovery of metals. More recently, emerging greener recycling technologies using microorganisms (i.e. biometallurgical), plasma arc fusion method and pretreatments (i.e. ultrasound and mechanochemical technologies) combined with other recycling methods (e.g. hydrometallurgical), and using less toxic solvents such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have also been attempted to recycle metals from computer and mobile phone scrap. The role of analytical method development, especially using spectroanalytical methods for chemical inspection and ewaste sorting process at industrial applications is also discussed. This confirmed that most direct sampling techniques such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and X-ray fluorescence (XFR) have several advantages over traditional sorting methods including rapid analytical response, without use of chemical reagents or waste generation, and greater reclamation of precious and critical materials in the WEEE stream. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/17304-0 - Proposition of methods for direct analysis of electronic waste samples: determination of precious, strategic and toxic elements in printed circuits boards and LCD screens
• Grantee: Daniel Fernandes de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 16/17221-8 - Composition evaluation of hard discs from electronic waste using spectroanalytical techniques: rare earth and noble metals determination
• Grantee: Jeyne Pricylla Castro Castilho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 18/24569-6 - Direct element characterization of mobile phones using data fusion from three complementary spectroanalytical techniques
• Grantee: Daniel Fernandes de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/24223-5 - Calibration in Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS): alternatives, challenges, proposals comparison and proposition of a universal procedure
• Grantee: Edenir Rodrigues Pereira Filho
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants