{
  "id": 12072346,
  "title": "New process helps remove toxins, pick rare earth metals from wastewater",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/new-process-helps-remove-toxins-pick-rare-earth-metals-from-wastewater",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-05T04:35:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/iit-gandhinagar-mofs-wastewater-treatment-rare-earth-elements-recovery-10907023/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IITGN) at Gandhinagar, Cambridge University, and the University of Birmingham have developed a method to remove toxic metals and recover valuable rare earth elements (REEs) from wastewater. The process utilizes highly porous materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which serve as molecular fishing nets with countless pores acting as catching surfaces and specially designed chemical sites that act like hooks to latch onto specific metals. MOFs have internal surface areas up to 7,000 square metres per gram, making them highly effective at adsorbing pollutants. The technology was tested with industrial wastewater, alkaline, turbid, high in dissolved solids, and artificial seawater, demonstrating substantial adsorption capacities. For instance, one gram of copper-based MOF can capture nearly half a gram of lead and about a quarter of a gram each of cadmium and manganese, while recovering around one-third of a gram of REEs per gram of material. While batch experiments offer insights, further research is needed to assess large-scale fabrication, costs, life-cycle assessment, and regulatory testing for sustainable implementation.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Researchers from IITGN, Cambridge, and Birmingham developed MOF process.",
    "MOFs act as molecular fishing nets with chemical hooks for metals.",
    "One gram MOF captures lead, cadmium, manganese, and recovers REEs."
  ],
  "editors_take": "This breakthrough in wastewater treatment enables the simultaneous removal of toxic metals and recovery of valuable rare earth elements, potentially transforming industrial wastewater management and resource recovery.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}