Recent advances in precious metal recovery using porous organic materials: from structure to mechanisms

Abstract

The recovery of precious metals (PMs) from secondary resources has become increasingly crucial due to their resource scarcity, economic value, and the growing environmental concerns associated with electronic waste (e-waste). This review provides an overview of the latest research advancements in the application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), and porous organic polymers (POPs), adsorbents for PM recovery from secondary resources such as e-waste leachate and industrial effluents. These materials have garnered significant attention due to their large surface areas, tunable pore structures, and diverse functionalization capabilities. This review delves into the structural characteristics, adsorption performance, selectivity, and regeneration capabilities of these materials for extracting PMs such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. Furthermore, key adsorption mechanisms are explored. Finally, current challenges in the field are discussed, and future research directions are highlighted, emphasizing the need to develop more selective, stable, and reusable sorbents, as well as exploring hybrid technologies and machine learning approaches. By summarizing current research trends and identifying knowledge gaps, this article aims to guide the development of more efficient porous adsorbents and promote sustainable resource management within the circular economy framework.