Selective toxic metal uptake using an e-waste-based novel sorbent–Single, binary and ternary systems

• Production of a novel activated adsorbent material from the non-metallic component of PCB waste.
• High copper, zinc and lead removal capacities which are 3 mmol/g, 2 mmol/g and 3.4 mmol/g, respectively.
• Enhanced selective adsorption of heavy metals in multi-component systems.
• Single equilibrium isotherm modeling-best fitted with Redlich–Peterson.
• Binary equilibrium isotherm modeling-best fitted with modified extended Freundlich model.

Since the disposal of printed circuit boards pose worldwide, dire environmental threats for nations, it is imperative to tackle this serious problem by adequate solutions. The modification of the non-metallic fraction of this waste (NMP) results in the development of a nano-structured material as well as proper functionalization, which renders it a potentially attractive material to be employed as an adsorbent to capture toxic metals from effluents. The removal efficiency of the modified nano-porous material (A-NMP) for copper, lead and zinc in single-component solutions have been measured 2.9 mmol/g, 3.5 mmol/g and 2.0 mmol/g, respectively which is ranked much higher than its industrial counterparts. Furthermore, partial selectivity was observed in the binary solution of copper and lead, whereas there was an absolute selectivity in zinc-containing binary solutions in favor of the other metal, i.e. lead or copper. The ternary system demonstrated a similar trend to the binary system.