Dining at the periodic table: metals concentrations as they relate to recycling
Jeremiah Johnson1, E M Harper, Reid Lifset
1Department. of Chemical Engineering, and Center for Industrial Ecology, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 205 Prospect St., New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA. jeremiah.johnson@yale.edu
Abstract:
A correlation between the prices of a variety of substances and their dilutions in their initial matrices was shown in 1959 by T.K. Sherwood. The research presented here shows that the relationship holds for engineering metals today, which we termed the metals-specific Sherwood plot. The concentrations of metals in products (e.g., printed wiring boards and automobiles) and waste streams (e.g., municipal solid waste, and construction and demolition debris) were plotted with this correlation. In addition, for the products and waste streams that undergo disassembly at end-of-life, the metals concentrations of the disassembled components were also plotted. It was found that most of the metals that are currently targeted for recycling have post-disassembly concentrations that lie above the metals-specific Sherwood plot (i.e., have concentrations that are more enriched than minimum profitable ore grades). This suggests that material concentration plays a role in the viability of recycling at end-of-life. As products grow in complexity and the variety of materials used, analyses such as this one provide insight for policymakers and those interested in material sustainability into macro-level trends of material use and future recycling practices.
More Related Videos
09:51TD-DFT Guided Advanced E-Eye Sensing Technique for On-site Quantification of Fe, Cr, F, and As in the Environmental, Biological, and Food Samples
Published on: September 19, 2025
11:14Two-way Valorization of Blast Furnace Slag: Synthesis of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Zeolitic Heavy Metal Adsorbent
Published on: February 21, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
Periodic Table Provides Information...
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
The Periodic Table
Acid Mine Drainage
