Toxic heavy metal capture using a novel electronic waste-based material-mechanism, modeling and comparison

In the modern communication era, the disposal of printed circuit boards is ecologically of dire concern on a global scale. The two prevalent methods applied for the disposal of this waste are either incineration or landfilling both of which are viewed with skepticism due to their negative environmental impact. Activation of the nonmetallic fraction of this waste leads to the development of a mesoporous material with highly functional groups which can potentially be applied for heavy metal uptake. The removal of copper, lead, and zinc was studied employing a cost-effective novel adsorbent based on waste printed circuit boards. The results indicate that the modification of the original e-waste material has a considerable effect on its surface area enhancement. Adsorption experiments revealed that the modified novel material had uptake capacities of 2.9 mmol Cu, 3.4 mmol Pb, and 2.0 mmol Zn per each gram of the adsorbent which are significantly higher values than its commercial counterparts used in industry.