Tiny toxic treasures
Recyclers can already get back the main ingredients - copper, lead and iron - but Anna wants the whole lot. The problem is that most of these elements are only present in tiny amounts.
'We also want a technology that would work with the systems that recyclers use. At most recycling plants, phones and other electronic gadgets are shredded, then separated into different parts - glass, plastics and circuit boards. So that was our starting point - shredded boards,' she says.
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Researchers Professor Geoff Kelsall, Anna Robson and Cun-Yee Cheng at Imperial College London.
Imperial College London |
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