The National Science Foundation Science (NSF) has identified research in separation science and technology (SST) as key priority for its interdisciplinary initiative on Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering and Materials (SusChEM). SST plays an essential role in the extraction and processing of basic resources (e.g. energy, water and food), chemicals and critical materials needed to build the sustainable products, processes, technologies, farms and industries of the future. During the 244th ACS meeting in Philadelphia (August 21, 2012), NSF sponsored a 1-day symposium to initiate a discussion of the role of SST in ensuring a sustainable supply of critical materials. To continue and broaden the discussion of SST as a Convergence Platform for SusChEM, NSF is sponsoring a 2-day symposium during the 248th ACS meeting in San Francisco. The focus of this discussion will be the recovery of critical materials and resources (e.g. metals and nutrients) from solutions (e.g. seawater, brackish water, brines and domestic/industrial wastewater) and wastes (e.g. mine tailings and electronic wastes). In my presentation, I will first summarize the discussion and recommendations of our first SST workshop on critical materials and resources.  I will then discuss the focus, content and deliverables of the second workshop.

Enabling the sustainability of critical materials and resources:The role of separation science and technology

248th National Meeting (2014)

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