Cooking oil can recover silver from old phones and electronic waste

What if your old bottle of cooking oil could help save the planet and your smartphone? That’s the big idea behind a groundbreaking discovery by researchers in Finland. Scientists from the University of Helsinki and the University of Jyväskylä have found that you can recover silver from electronic waste using common kitchen ingredients like vegetable oil and hydrogen peroxide. This sustainable, scalable method published in the Chemical Engineering Journal could change how we mine precious metals from our growing piles of electronic junk.

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OLD SMARTPHONES ARE BEING TURNED INTO TINY DATA CENTERS

How cooking oil recovers silver from electronic waste

Here’s how it works. Fatty acids found in oils like sunflower or olive oil are mixed with hydrogen peroxide. When heated slightly, this combo safely dissolves silver from old circuit boards, wires or keyboard connectors. Then, using ethyl acetate, a far less toxic alternative to industrial solvents, researchers pull out the silver in a solid form. Unlike traditional methods that rely on harsh acids or cyanide-based solutions, this technique avoids toxic runoff and air pollution. Think of it as salad dressing meets science lab, without the environmental mess.

Why recycling silver from e-waste is urgently needed

Silver powers the devices you use every day, such as phones, solar panels, electric vehicles and even medical tech. But less than 20% of it gets recycled. As demand rises and natural resources shrink, finding clean ways to reclaim silver isn’t just smart, it’s necessary. Silver prices have surged sixfold in the last 25 years. At the same time, supply has lagged. That makes e-waste a goldmine, literally, for anyone who can unlock its hidden metals without poisoning the environment.

NEW TECH RECOVERS 92% OF EV BATTERY METALS

Fatty acids found in cooking oil can stabilize silver ions for easier extraction. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

How scientists extract silver using fatty acids and light

To figure out exactly how this all works, researchers used advanced computer models to study how fatty acids interact with silver ions. The process not only stabilizes the silver but also allows for easy recovery using light and simple solvents. Better still, the ingredients can be reused and there’s no chemical waste or massive cost. And it’s highly selective. The method targets silver while leaving other metals behind, a major step forward in urban mining. In testing, even silver-coated keyboard connectors were cleanly processed into pure elemental silver powder using this system.

Indian labourers sift through a heap of pre-owned mobile phones in an electronic waste workshop on December 5, 2023 in New Delhi, India.  (Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)

What this means for you

This research brings us closer to safe, at-home or small-scale recycling kits that could recover silver from old gadgets. Recyclers and manufacturers could adopt this method to reduce chemical waste and operating costs, while protecting workers and the environment. This method supports a future where nothing goes to waste. It keeps valuable materials in use, cutting down the need for mining and pollution. Silver is vital for making many of the tech items we use every day. Reusing it responsibly means cleaner energy at a lower cost and less reliance on mined resources.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

We’ve long known that waste is a problem. Now, it might also be the solution. By turning everyday ingredients into powerful recycling tools, scientists are showing us what’s possible when chemistry and sustainability meet. The process is still being refined, but the promise is clear: a greener future where reclaiming valuable metals doesn’t cost the earth, or our health.

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If you could extract silver from your old gadgets with tools in your kitchen, would you do it? Or should this be left to the pros? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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