According to a report, chemists have discovered a way to make a rare mineral from waste glass that can then be used to clean up toxic heavy metals in the environment.

Dr Nichola Coleman and colleagues at Greenwich University in the UK began the project as a way of finding a use for the large quantities of stockpiled coloured glass, which is in lower demand for recycling than clear glass.

In a process known as hydrothermal synthesis, a mixture of this ground glass along with lime and caustic soda is heated to 100?C in a sealed stainless steel container to create the mineral tobermorite.

Although naturally occurring, tobermorite is rare and is therefore not extracted commercially by mining companies. As a silicate hydrate cation exchanger, tobermorite can absorb and incorporate toxic heavy metals to form a relatively inert complex.

As such, it could potentially be deployed as powder or granules to contaminated wastewater streams or water located beneath the ground.

The team is now looking at creating other types of filter and forming barriers that could prevent pollutants spreading from contaminated areas.