Work

Foamable Protein-Ligand Conjugates: A Sustainable Approach to Rare-Earth Metal Harvesting and Separation by Ion Flotation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The growing demand for rare-earth elements motivates sustainable alternatives to solvent extraction. Here, we report a new paradigm of coordination-active surfactants for lanthanide ion flotation, protein-ligand conjugates, that combine strong inner-sphere chelation with intrinsic protein foamability. Bovine serum albumin functionalized with diethylenetriamine-pentaacetate binds up to 25 equivalents of EuIII per protein and directly enriches lanthanides from aqueous solution by flotation. This platform achieves selective separation of EuIII from LaIII and maintains high capture efficiency under high ionic strength conditions where conventional collectors fail. By coupling multivalent coordination chemistry with amphiphilic macromolecular surface activity, this approach eliminates organic solvents, solid resins, and acid regeneration, establishing a scalable new archetype for rare-earth separations.

Source: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.6c04918

Authors: Elliot Furr, Matthew J. Allen, Jeremy J. Kodanko

Institution: Wayne State University

Language: English

Topic: Minerals Flotation and Separation Techniques

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500