TEHRAN, Dec. 29 (MNA) � Iranian researchers have recycled electronic waste using biological methods managing to recover gold and copper.

Mahdokht Arshadi, the researcher of the project entitled �e-waste biological leaning using two types of bacteria� said �e-waste is a term for electronic products that have become unwanted, non-working or obsolete, and have essentially reached the end of their useful life and need to be recycled or buried.�

�Normally, e-wastes are buried and due to containing harmful metals such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium or lead, upon burial they enter the human food chain and ultimately threaten human health,� noted the researcher highlighting the importance of e-waste recycling.

Arshadi highlighted that in addition to hazardous metals, e-wastes contain certain useful metals as well; �given that gold and copper mines are running out, e-waste marks a good supplying source as a result of containing more than 50 types of metals.�

�So far, e-wastes have been recycled using chemical methods which turn out to be costly,� pointed out the researcher adding �current methods used to extract metals from electronic wastes are expensive and uneconomical leading to production of hazardous biological materials.�

�By exploiting proper methods, the seemingly harmful e-waste can turn into an important alternative to important minerals which are coming to an end,� Arshadi asserted.

She went on to state that �we managed to recycle e-waste through a biological method exploiting two indigenous bacteria in order to extract gold and copper.�

�Consisted of a two-step process on the basis of bio-leaching procedures, the new method is simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly,� underlined the researcher.

She further enumerated the benefits of the newly-developed biological method including being cost-effective, producing a high rate of value-added as well as preventing environmental problems.

�The method, which won the second bronze of initiative at Kharazmi Festival, has been proposed for the first time in the world,� she maintained.

By Mehr News Agency