Analysis of Metal Components in Small Portable Electronic Devices

Abstract

Recently mobile phones have become more multifunctional and can be used as digital cameras, game consoles and music players. In other words, mobile phones can make it possible to reduce the consumption of the natural resources used to fabricate these small electronic devices. The objective of this study is to analyze the metal components of mobile phones and compare with those in other portable electronic devices. The metals contained in these small devices were chemically analyzed using ICP-MS, ICP emission analysis and gravimetric analysis. Then the environmental impact was estimated in terms of the CO₂ emissions in the production of the metals. The results showed that the metal resources in a mobile phone weighed about 35% of that in the other devices and simple phone, thus indicating that mobile phones can reduce resource consumption by about 65%. Moreover, there was some reduction in the CO₂ emissions.