Eco-friendly demetallisation of metallised acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) by using biogenic lixiviants

A novel environmental process for the demetallisation of metal coated (Cu, Ni and Cr) acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) was developed. Different biogenic lixiviants were generated and combined to carry out the indirect bioleaching tests on different formats of metallised ABS waste. The best bioleaching conditions were obtained for a high metal dissolution (Cu and Ni), the effective separation of metallic Cr and the obtention of unaltered ABS, suitable to be reused. The lixiviant solution can be reused several times to concentrate Cu and Ni. The process also includes the use of spent pickling acids for pH adjustment, which offered similar results compared to tests done with acids. That settles the circular economy approach in the Valencian sector to recover hazardous wastes.