Studies on the Content of Selected Technology Critical Elements (Germanium, Tellurium and Thallium) in Electronic Waste - PubMed (original) (raw)

Studies on the Content of Selected Technology Critical Elements (Germanium, Tellurium and Thallium) in Electronic Waste

Joanna Willner et al. Materials (Basel). 2021.

Abstract

The article draws attention to the problem of the presence of metals: germanium (Ge), tellurium (Te), thallium (Tl), and others (Cd, Ba, Co, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) in selected waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). As a result of the growing demand for new technologies, the global consumption of TECs has also been increasing. Thus, the amount of metals in circulation, of which the impacts on the environment have not yet been fully understood, is constantly increasing. Due to the low content of these metals in WEEE, they are usually ignored during e-waste analyses. The main aim of this study was to determine the distribution of Ge, Te, and Tl (and other elements) in ground sieve fractions (1.0, 0.5, 0.2, and 0.1 mm) of selected electronic components (solar lamps, solar cell, LED TV screens, LCD screens, photoresistors, photodiodes, phototransistors) and to determine the possible tendency of the concentrations of these metals in fractions. This problem is particularly important because WEEE recycling processes (crushing, grinding, and even collection and transport operations) can lead to dispersion and migration of TCE pollutants into the environment. The quantitative composition of e-waste was identified and confirmed by ICP-MS, ICP-OES and SEM-EDS, and XRD analyses. It was found that Ge, Te, and Tl are concentrated in the finest fractions of ground e-waste, together with Cd and Cr, which may favor the migration of these pollutants in the form of dust during storage and processing of e-waste.

Keywords: e-waste processing; electronic equipment (WEEE); technology-critical element (TCEs); waste electrical.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

SEM image and EDS microanalysis of photoresistor surface.

Figure 2

Figure 2

XRD analysis of 0.2–0.1 mm size fraction of photoresistors.

Figure 3

Figure 3

XRD analysis of 0.2–0.1 mm size fraction of solar cell.

Figure 4

Figure 4

XRD patterns of LCD screen.

Figure 5

Figure 5

Ge, Te, and Tl content in different particle sizes of ground e-waste.

Figure 5

Figure 5

Ge, Te, and Tl content in different particle sizes of ground e-waste.

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