Bio-Inspired Polymers from Idaho Native Plants for Mineral Recovery of Critical Material from Mining Wastewater
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Kavita Sharma, Idaho State University
Presentation Date
7-15-2026
Abstract
Phase one of the project involves refining the extraction process of natural monomer precursor compounds from Artemisia tridentata, Idaho sagebrush. The biologically derived extracts are then to be synthetically polymerized such that they provide a polymeric scaffold which can be used as an extractant in lanthanide-containing substrates like mineral runoff from mining operations. These lanthanides are then to be recovered from the extractant as a means for collecting lanthanides deemed critical resources—owing to their places in important industrial resource pipelines. The principal operation behind these polymers involves forming ligands with lanthanide compounds—specifically, various compounds within Idaho sagebrush contain nitrogen and oxygen binding domains, which lend themselves to coordination with dissolved lanthanides with varying affinities as predicted by HSAB theory. Given the use of readily available domestic materials—owing to the abundance of sagebrush, the potential for scalable and affordable synthesis of these polymeric extractants is made more realizable. The research is being led by Dr. Kavita Sharma and being worked on by Angelo Mayer, Sanaly Nava, Mardi Moldenhauer, with counsel from Dr. Sameena Mateen and Samjhana Pradhan.
Bio-Inspired Polymers from Idaho Native Plants for Mineral Recovery of Critical Material from Mining Wastewater
Phase one of the project involves refining the extraction process of natural monomer precursor compounds from Artemisia tridentata, Idaho sagebrush. The biologically derived extracts are then to be synthetically polymerized such that they provide a polymeric scaffold which can be used as an extractant in lanthanide-containing substrates like mineral runoff from mining operations. These lanthanides are then to be recovered from the extractant as a means for collecting lanthanides deemed critical resources—owing to their places in important industrial resource pipelines. The principal operation behind these polymers involves forming ligands with lanthanide compounds—specifically, various compounds within Idaho sagebrush contain nitrogen and oxygen binding domains, which lend themselves to coordination with dissolved lanthanides with varying affinities as predicted by HSAB theory. Given the use of readily available domestic materials—owing to the abundance of sagebrush, the potential for scalable and affordable synthesis of these polymeric extractants is made more realizable. The research is being led by Dr. Kavita Sharma and being worked on by Angelo Mayer, Sanaly Nava, Mardi Moldenhauer, with counsel from Dr. Sameena Mateen and Samjhana Pradhan.