According to experts, eggshells have the potential to provide mankind with resources that will be in demand in a multitude of man-made developments.
In a scientific paper published in the journal ACS Omega, the authors describe a discovery about eggshells, which have been found to be able to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from water.
REEs have a wide range of uses, but they are scarce and the current methods used to extract them are often harmful.
In a series of experiments the researchers conducted, eggshells were placed in solutions containing REEs. In each case, the temperature of the medium ranged from 25 to 205 degrees Celsius. As the temperature increased, different REE-based materials coated the surface of the eggshells.
According to experts, eggshells can help solve the problem of REE recovery and go from being a waste product to a valuable resource. Eggshells can provide mankind with resources that will be in demand in many technogenic developments.