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Bioleaching of metals from WEEE shredding dust
Alessandra Marra1, Alessandra Cesaro1, Eldon R Rene2
1SEED - Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy.
Journal of Environmental Management
|January 22, 2018
Summary
This study shows a two-step bioleaching process effectively recovers base metals, precious metals, and rare earth elements from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) shredding dust, offering a sustainable recycling solution.
Area of Science:
- * Environmental Science
- * Metallurgy
- * Microbiology
Background:
- * Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) shredding generates dust containing valuable base metals, precious metals, and rare earth elements.
- * Current disposal methods for WEEE dust often involve landfilling, leading to resource loss and environmental concerns.
- * Biohydrometallurgy offers a potential sustainable solution for recovering critical elements from WEEE waste streams.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate a two-step bioleaching process for the recovery of metals from WEEE shredding dust.
- * To evaluate the efficiency of specific microbial strains in leaching different metal groups.
- * To demonstrate the potential of biohydrometallurgy for resource recovery from WEEE.
Main Methods:
- * A two-step bioleaching process was employed using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Pseudomonas putida WSC361.
- * Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans was used in the first step to leach base metals and mobilize rare earth elements.
- * Pseudomonas putida WSC361 was used in the second step to recover gold from the pre-leached material.
Main Results:
- * Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans achieved near-complete leaching of base metals and high mobilization (>99%) of cerium, europium, and neodymium within 8 days.
- * Lanthanum and yttrium extractions reached 80% in the first step.
- * Pseudomonas putida WSC361 recovered 48% of gold within 3 hours in the second step.
Conclusions:
- * The developed two-step bioleaching process is effective for recovering base metals, precious metals, and rare earth elements from WEEE shredding dust.
- * Biohydrometallurgy presents a viable and sustainable approach for resource recovery from WEEE, including critical raw materials like rare earths.
- * This method offers an alternative to landfilling, promoting circular economy principles in electronic waste management.
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