Innovative Method Extracts Gold from E-Waste Using Cheesemaking Byproduct

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a sustainable and cost-effective technique to recover gold from electronic waste, leveraging a protein fibril sponge derived from whey.

ETH Zurich researchers have created a sustainable method to recover gold from electronic waste using a protein fibril sponge derived from whey, a byproduct of the cheesemaking process.
The new technique is not only environmentally friendly but also economically viable, with the process costs being 50 times lower than the value of the recoverable gold.
In laboratory experiments, the team successfully extracted a 450-milligram nugget of 22-carat gold from 20 old computer motherboards.
The method offers a promising solution to the growing problem of electronic waste, which is the fastest-growing solid waste stream in the world.
Researchers are now looking to ready the technology for the market and explore other protein-rich byproducts that could be used to create the sponge.