Conservation of Critical Elements of the Periodic Table

Abstract

Since its conception, the periodic table and the elements contained within it have shaped our modern lives. The use of many elements is now ubiquitous and essential for the modern technologies we have now become accustomed to. However, our use of some elements may be considered as unsustainable and their current use may create both economic and environmental pressures. The United Nations have designated 2019 the “International Year of the Periodic Table”. As such this Essay presents some important points on “critical elements” and the importance of adopting sustainable practices in the use of all elements of the periodic table. This article also highlights a number of examples of green technologies for elemental recovery and some of the challenges we must overcome to become truly sustainable across the whole periodic table.

Genome-Wide Identification of MATE Gene Family in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and Expression Analysis in Heavy Metal Stress

“…Quite consistently, the expression level of StMATE40 was also significantly induced by Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ . This result could be attributed to the fact that the three metals have similar structures, while zinc (atomic number 30) and copper (atomic number 29) are in adjacent periods as well in the periodic table ( Supanchaiyamat and Hunt, 2019 ). Compared with the control, Ni 2+ stress significantly increased the expression levels of StMATE59 (subfamily II), while StMATE18 and StMATE60 (subfamily IV) were significantly upregulated under Cu 2+ stress.…”

Eco‐Mn Ecocatalysts: Toolbox for Sustainable and Green Lewis Acid Catalysis and Oxidation Reactions

“…For instance, Mn has been on the list of critical elements in the US since 2017. Referring to the currently known resources, Mn resources could be depleted in 20 to 50 years . The need of metallic elements induces the expansion of mining sites and the use of new extraction techniques, causing significant environmental issues: degradation of natural environments, loss of biodiversity and pollution of ecosystems.…”

Synthesis and application of tuneable carbon–silica composites from the microwave pyrolysis of waste paper for selective recovery of gold from acidic solutions

“…1 Concerns over elemental sustainability and the future availability of elements such as gold, coupled with the growing demand, and low substitutability of gold, have led to fears over the security of its supply. 2 Gold holds various uses in the electronic and electrical industries, medical applications, chemical catalysis and the manufacture of jewellery, due to its exceptional chemical and physical properties. [3][4][5] Gold Demand Trends (Gold World Council) published a document in 2016 which presented the 5 year average demand for gold at 1123.4 tonnes, with the year-onyear demand increasing by 15%, however also highlighting that the current rates of production fall short of this demand.…”