As global reliance on technology increases, the demand for raw materials is also growing. An expanding field of research focuses on the extraction of metals such as Pd from alternative sources, as traditional mining projects are both harmful to the environment and insufficient to meet the projected demands for the next decade. Geothermal water is of great interest as the concentration of dissolved metal ions can be comparatively high. However, competing ions make extraction challenging. Therefore, the focus of this project is on developing a cost-effective, green method with high selectivity. 

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown excellent selectivity for Pd. This project aims to synthesize MOFs with embedded magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This enables the extraction of the entire compound, including the adsorbed ion, via an external magnet. Following the desorption of the target ion, which can be induced via a pH shift, the MNP-MOF can be reused for further extractions. A crossflow ultrafiltration (CUF) apparatus will pump the geothermal water continuously in a circle. This method will be capable of processing large volumes of water and selectively concentrating the target ion in a green and cost-effective way.

References
[1] Pei, L et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, DOI10.1021/es302304t.
[2] Nistler, A et al., Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2019, DOI10.1007/s00216-019-01808-z.

Funding                                                               Cooperation
FCI – Kekule Stipendium                                  Dr. Romy Lena Ettlinger