Artwork. (Source: weeklypostnc.com)
Human feces containing gold and precious metals worth up to hundreds of millions of dollars.
This breakthrough discovery by US scientists not only material values but also helps protect the environment.
According to researcher Kathleen Smith of the US Geological Survey (USGS), in most of the organic solid waste samples collected after the disposal of the waste treatment plant in the USA found gold and precious metals such as platinum and silver.
The amount of precious metal in the form only to a very small mineral residue; in 1 kg of waste containing 0.4 mg of gold, silver and 638 mg 28 mg 49 mg of copper and vanadium.
However, the huge amount of organic waste solid waste each year, people are throwing away a treasure.
In addition to the precious metals in waste also found large amounts of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, the quality is not good for the environment.
Currently problem has plagued scientists are methods that can be recovered "treasure" is.
Accordingly, the team is looking to change the extraction of metals from minerals are used in the mining industry to apply the extraction of metals from solid organic waste.
Two purposes are given as removing some heavy metals typically reduces the efficiency of fertilizers made from human feces and collect valuable metals.
The metal has some valuable tech as vanadium and East used in the manufacture of components telephone, computer and alloys.
This will not only bring value to the material, but also valuable help protect the environment by cutting demand for mining as well as reduce the amount of heavy metals discharged accidentally.
The scientists said the rare metal infiltrate our bodies through cosmetic products that we use every day, such as shampoos, detergents, and even where the particle populations ounce nano sometimes used to deodorize the body.
According to statistics, every year in the US, gained more than 7 million tons of solid organic waste is processed from human waste in the waste water treatment facility of the United States.
Approximately 60% of solid waste is used as fertilizer for the fields and forests, the other half being burned or buried.
The findings are published in the Conference and Exhibition nation's 249 th American Chemical Society (ACS) - the largest scientific organization in the world, taking place in Denver, Colorado, from now until the end of the 26th / 3.