University of Lisbon Archives

Optimising solvent extraction for metal recycling

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Assistant Professor Ana Paula Paiva researches the application of solvent extraction, through the use of leaching solutions, in the hydrometallurgical process for end-of-life platinum metals.

The platinum-group metals play a central role in several technological applications including fuel cells, electronic devices, and catalysts for oil refining and automobile converters. Owing to the scarcity of these metals, methods for their recycling from end-of-life devices are in increasing demand. Hydrometallurgy, which exploits the ability of specific molecules to selectively dissolve metal ions and separate them from unwanted […]

Conveyor belts of the Atlantic Ocean: Moving particles, organisms and litter around the globe

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Ocean currents have been responsible for driving the spread of discarded plastic.

Ocean currents are a conveyor belt spanning the entire globe; they are transporting minerals, nutrients, organisms and other particles across vast distances. However, the full extent of the roles played by these flows is still poorly understood. Dr Rui Caldeira, Director of the Oceanic Observatory of Madeira in Portugal, and his collaborators Dr Iria Sala, Cláudio Cardoso and Maria João […]