Scientists at Flinders University in Australia have developed a game-changing method to extract pure gold from electronic waste using common pool cleaner, salt water, and sunlight.
The new technique replaces hazardous substances, such as cyanide and mercury, with a recyclable, eco-friendly polymer and ultraviolet (UV) light, offering a cleaner, greener way to extract the world’s most sought-after metal.
The research team, led by Professor Justin Chalker, combined green chemistry, physics, and engineering to develop a gold-leaching reagent derived from trichloroisocyanuric acid (the same compound used to sanitize swimming pools). When activated by salt water and UV light, it dissolves gold, even from the tiniest scraps of e-waste. A sulfur-rich polymer then binds the gold, which can later be recovered by simply reversing the reaction, allowing both the gold and polymer to be reused.
This method has proven successful across various materials including old central processing unit (CPU) boards, mixed-metal scraps, and even ore concentrates. It holds huge promise for safer, small-scale mining operations and sustainable e-waste recycling, especially in places where toxic methods are still widely used. “The aim is to provide effective gold recovery methods that support the many uses of gold, while lessening the impact on the environment and human health,” said Professor Chalker.
