ALL ABOUT GOLD
Poop could be a goldmine - literally. Surprisingly, treated solid waste
contains gold, silver and other metals. Now researchers are looking at how
they can be recovered.
According to Dr Kathleen Smith from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),
researchers in America have observed tiny particles of platinum, silver and
gold in samples using a scanning electron microscope.
"There are metals everywhere," Smith said, noting they
are "in your hair care products, detergents, even nanoparticles that
are put in socks to prevent bad odours."
[Previous Blog: Everyone Owns A Little Gold: Here's How]
Another research group at Arizona State University previously calculated
that the waste from 1 million Americans could contain as much as $13 million
worth of metals.
"The gold we found was at the level of a minimal mineral deposit,"
Smith said, meaning that if that amount were in rock, it might be
commercially viable to mine it. This could decrease the need for mining and
reduce the unwanted release of metals into the environment, presenters told
delegates at this week's meeting of the American Chemical Society.
(Source)
