Innovating Urban Cleanup: A Hybrid Technology for Platinum Recovery from Roads and Pavements
Introduction
As cities grow and traffic increases, urban pollution presents escalating challenges. One lesser-known yet significant pollutant is platinum, released primarily from catalytic converters in vehicles. While catalytic converters reduce harmful emissions, they also emit trace amounts of platinum into the environment.
This valuable metal, dispersed as fine particles on roads and pavements, offers both an environmental concern and an economic opportunity. Here, I propose my idea for a hybrid technology solution designed to efficiently recover platinum from urban surfaces, transforming pollution control into resource recovery.
The Challenge of Platinum Pollution
Platinum, a precious metal used extensively in catalytic converters, enters the environment as fine particles. Over time, these particles accumulate on road surfaces, in runoff water, and in the surrounding soil. The dispersed nature of platinum makes its recovery challenging, requiring innovative approaches that combine multiple technologies to capture and extract this valuable resource effectively.
