Ouagadougou: Woulou Somda obtained his PhD in Chemistry from Joseph-Ki-Zerbo University of Ouagadougou after developing a Fe-BTC/PpPDA composite material capable of selectively recovering 98.01% of gold from electronic waste. His research focused on the recovery of gold from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) utilizing Metal Organic Framework (MOF) type materials.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Somda's work addresses the global issue of rising e-waste, which reached approximately 62 million tons in 2022, with only 22.3% recycled. The rest is often landfilled or incinerated, posing environmental and health risks. E-waste is rich in precious metals like silver, palladium, platinum, and especially gold, which can be up to ten times more concentrated than in traditional mines.
Somda synthesized Fe-BTC, an iron-based MOF, and enhanced it with paraphenylenediamine (PpPDA) to create the Fe-BTC/PpPDA composite. The material's amine groups aid in gold complexation through a catalytic redox mechanism, achieving remarkable selectivity for gold even in the presence of high concentrations of other metals. The composite exhibits a maximum adsorption capacity of 1,045.8 mg/g, reaching equilibrium in just 30 minutes, allowing for the reduction of gold ions to pure metallic gold without further processing steps.
The composite's high selectivity enables recovery of gold at 23.9 carats purity post-adsorption, using magnetic separation. Somda demonstrated potential applications for the composite in industrial gold recovery processes, offering economic benefits by reducing refining steps and production costs.
His research has been published in renowned journals, including Royal Society Open Science, with further publications anticipated. The international jury, led by Professor Karifa Bayo, awarded Somda his doctorate with distinction, recognizing the practical significance of his work for Burkina Faso's industrial goals. The jury emphasized the importance of rapidly implementing Somda's findings in the country's industrialization efforts, highlighting the potential of local scientific expertise in addressing national challenges.