Canadian Light Source Highlights Our Arsenic Upcycling Research

Our work on converting toxic arsenic-laden groundwater treatment waste into valuable materials was recently featured by the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in the article “Turning sludge into semiconductors.”

The article describes the chemical process we developed to produce a glassy metallic arsenic (As⁰) directly from groundwater treatment sludge, which differs from traditional crystalline arsenic and may have utility in advanced material systems. To understand the material’s structure and properties, we conducted key experiments at the Brockhouse beamline at the Canadian Light Source, where advanced X-ray techniques helped illuminate the characteristics of this glassy metal form.

Looking forward, the CLS article notes that we aim to test the process at larger scales and explore its potential value at sites around the world where arsenic waste continues to accumulate. As we continue this work, the broader goal remains to find ways to transform unavoidable environmental waste streams into materials of societal value, contributing to both environmental protection and emerging technology supply chains.

Read the original CLS article: Turning sludge into semiconductors on the Canadian Light Source website.

https://www.lightsource.ca/public/news/2025-26-q4-jan-march/turning-sludge-into-semiconductors.php